Claws & Paws
by croft74
Summary: After the final battle Draco Malfoy ends up on a childrens ward in Saint Mungo's. How will he cope when he finds out what happens to parentless werewolf children? And how does Harry come in to all of this? Read on to find out. Rated M just in case.
1. A Split Second Decision

**Hi all. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic so i'd like to ask that you all bear with me and please leave helpful little hints for me if you want to. **

**So I thought I'd start with one of the classic pairings... Harry/Draco (one of my favourites)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of the HP world. **

**Main Pairing: **HP/DM

**Summary: **After the final battle Draco Malfoy ends up on a childrens ward in Saint Mungo's. After becoming attached to a werewolf child, Draco makes it his personal task to ensure the lives of all werewolf children are not at risk. Will this plan work out or will Draco be falling flat on his face as he tries to do the impossible.

**A/N: **This story starts at the end of Harry and Draco's sixth year at Hogwarts. Dumbledore is still alive and Snape managed to save Professor Dumbledore from the curse of the ring.

**Chapter Warnings: **A little bit of violence, nothing more

**Chapter One: **A Split Second Decision

The final battle against Voldemort happened on the grounds of Hogwarts. It was ghastly. At every turn people were falling lifeless to the ground, never to fight again. Both sides had taken losses on a hugh scale, although those scales tipped slightly in favour of the light side.

Draco remembered it as if it had only happened yesterday, though it had actually been nearly a month ago. He remembered hearing the screams, the crying, the taunting and the spells being thrown around the grounds. He remembered seeing the panic on peoples faces, friend and foe alike. Remembered thinking that it wouldn't be long before his death joined the already massive list. Remembered feeling as though he had made the biggest mistake of his life. Remembered wishing that there was something he could do to make it right.

Draco had been running across the grass, desperately searching for mother and father amongst the throng of the battle. As he speed past countless mini battles between various light and dark opponents, he spotted Potter approaching the Dark Lord Voldemort.

He watched as the Dark Lord turned to face the Saviour of the Wizarding World, saw the emotions flickering across Potter's face, saw the smug grin that landed on Voldemort. The Dark Lord truly believed this was a battle he would win.

Still racing through the crowd of battling pairs, Draco finally spotted his parents, his father supporting his mother, and almost desperately trying to keep her up upright while he backed them away from the fight and towards the shelter of the Forbidden Forest.

"Father!" Draco shouted running even faster to try and catch up with him.

"Draco! Behind you!" Lucius Malfoy all but screamed, making Draco whip around at shocking speed to see a lone Death Eater running at him, wand drawn and a dark curse on his lips. Draco snapped his wand up and muttered a spell that cuased a sheild to form around him. The Death Eater didn't even flinch when his spell rebounded back at him, side-stepping it with ease, while shouting 'Expelliarmus' and holding his wand perfectly still, pointed at Draco.

Draco didn't know what to do when his wand was ripped from his hand. He was scared and his body seemed rooted to the spot. He couldn't move, he couldn't defend himself. All he could do was watch as the Death Eater raised his wand again and started to say the curse that was to end his life. Thinking it all over, Draco closed his eyes and thought about his family and friends, again wishing he had done things differently.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY SON! _AVADA KEDAVRA_!"

Draco opened his eyes in surprise just in time to see the Killing Curse go flying past his head in the direction of the stray Death Eater. It killed him on the spot, hitting him dead in the chest. He quickly looked around to see his father stood there, tall and impossing with a look of pure hated on his face, which was directed at the Death Eater stupid enough to threaten his only son.

Lucius walked calmly towards his son, grabbing him by the wrist as he pulled Draco towards the trees where he could see his mother was stood with a look of relief on her face as she saw that her son was still alive a unharmed.

Narcissa threw herself at Draco as he and his father reached the forsets' boarder, and he held her back for a moment before turning to watch the battle from their fairly secluded spot beneath the large trees of the Forbidden Forest.

They watched as people from all sides failed, as people from all sides ran, as people from all sides faught to keep themselves alive. Together they watched as the people from the light side stood up against people from the dark. They watched as the magical creatures from the forest joined the fight taking many out in one try. They watched as Hagrid's brother stomped the ground sending everyone flying.

Draco's attention was soon stolen as he watched Harry Potter and the Dark Lord battling. To him it seemed that they were quite evenly matched, as neither of them landed very many hits on the other. Draco's parents, it seemed, had caught sight of this as well, and even though the family was well known now as supporters of Voldemort, they all found themselves praying that Potter would win. All three of them knew what it would mean for their family if he didn't.

Out of the corner of his eye Draco spotted his aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange, approching the battle between the Dark Lord and the Boy-Who-Lived, he watched as she nodded to the Dark Lord, watched as he gave a slight incline of the head in agreement to whatever it was Bellatrix was planning. Watched as the Golden Boy Potter had no idea what was going on behind him and continued to battle the Dark Lord with everything he had.

In the split second Draco had watched all of this he had made his mind up. He ran full pelt towards his aunt, hoping and praying that no one would stop him, ignoring his parents desperate plees for him to come back. He ran like the hounds of hell were after him, shouting as loud as he could to Potter, who in turn spun round, the Dark Lord and Bellatrix copying his movement. Half a second after Bellatrix's eyes widened in surprise at seeing it was her nephew who had warned Potter,she landed flat on her back, winded and in a state of shock. Draco had sent her sprawling by throwing himself full pelt at her midsection.

After landing with a bump, Draco managed to knock Bellatrix's wand from her hand before he was flung off of her by a curse from omeone unknown behind them. He landed heavily on the ground, falling on his left wrist which gave a sickening crack, as he rolled over and tried to push himself up.

His aunt had her wand in her hand again, and it was pointing threatening at his chest. "You stupid little boy! I'll make you pay for that little stunt!" she said, before throwing an unknown spell flying at him.

The spell made contact with the middle of Draco's head, and he fell back to the ground with a shriek of pain. His vision was swimming and he knew he was going to pass out. The last thing he saw before he passed out completely was his mother screaming the killing curse, her wand pointed at his aunt Bellatrix.


	2. A Family Reunion To Shock You

**Disclaimer: I do ****NOT**** own the Harry Potter world!**

**A/N:** OH. MY. GOD! My first reviews!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, to those who did, you made my whole year (wiping small tears away with an exagerated sniff lol) Thought I should reply to some of them to help clear up a few things, so here goes:

**xErised** - Thank you and I will try very hard to keep the spelling mistakes down.

**kittenonabroomstick - **Thank you so much. I really glad you like it and think it original. And yes, Fred Weasley is still very much alive and kicking. (psst... by the way, I agree, I like the twins a lot too lol.)

**A/N 2:** Real sorry guys but this chapter is mostly information. But try and think of it like eating a crappy dinner, knowing there is going to be something really tasty afterwards. It may seem bland by its important to the survival of this story and once its done you get all the good stuff ;-)

**Chapter Warnings: **Maybe a little swearing but if there is it will not be anything to gasp over.

* * *

Draco Malfoy groaned as he slowly came to. The bed he was on was soft but not his own, and the sheets were a little too scratchy for his liking, but hew was warm and happily numb.

He glanced around the room to try and asses where he was and realised the the curtained off area he was currently in must be on some sort of hospital ward. To his left there was a small bed-side table with a few get-well-soon cards, a glass and a jug of water on the top of it and to his left there was some kind of machine, which he had no idea what it did.

Draco returned his attention to the water and pour himself a glass, not realising how much he had needed it until it was gone. Smacking his lips together in appreciation, he then reached out a hand for one of the three cards. The first one he looked at was from his mother and father, saying that he'd done them proud and that they hoped he's well again soon so that they could take him home. The second one was from Professor Dumbledore telling him to get well soon and that he hoped to see Draco at school again soon. The third and final one came as surprise to Draco, it was from Harry Potter. Draco had to read it twice to take in what was written inside it.

_Dear Draco_

_ I hope that you are well on your way to recovery when you read this._

_ I just wanted to thank you for what you did during the battle. If you _

_ hadn't... Well to be honest, I'm a bit scared to think what would have_

_ happened. So, yeah, thanks._

_ From _

_ Harry Potter_

Draco was in a state of shock. The last thing he ever expected to find on his hospital bedside table was a letter of thanks from his once sworn enemy, Harry Potter. But there it was.

Draco placed the card back on the table and then sat still wondering what had happened. Potter must have won or he wouldn't have been able to write the card. Unless the Dark Lord had run. But why would the Dark Lord run? Draco wished there was someone here to answer his questions, but the ward was deathly quiet.

Deciding to find out where he was and what had happened, as well as to find a bathroom, Draco carefully pushed himself out of his bed, and stood up onto wobby legs. He held on tightly to the metal bed post for a bit until he felt able to walk without falling, and then slowly made his way over to the split in the curtains.

He pulled them open slightly and walked out from between them, stopping for a moment to look around the room. He was definately in a ward, but he was also definately not at Hogwarts. There were five other beds in the room, but none of their occupants had closed the curtains. After a closer look, Draco saw that the occupants of the beds were little children. Not one of them looked old enough to go to Hogwarts. What was he doing in a ward full of children? Another thing he'd have to find out. Turning to the left Draco saw a clock over the top of the ward door that read 11:51pm, and wondered how long he had actually been in the hospital. Shrugging to himself slightly, he walked over to the door and as quietly as he could snuck through it, not really wanting to wake a room full of kids if he could help it.

Once outside the door, Draco again took in his surroundings. There was a small desk in the middle of the room and what looked like a fairly large waiting room off to the left. To his right there was a large set of double doors, that Draco supposed led out of what could only be a childrens ward and just before that was a long narrow corridor. He could just make out the numbers on the rooms, which again he was guessing were more wards. Looking back at the door he'd just come out of, Draco spotted one more door a little further down the hall towards the waiting room. A toilet! As quick as he could without falling over on his disused legs, Draco made towards it, reaching it just as a young woman came out.

"Oh, Mister Malfoy. You're awake," she said, obviously shocked to find him up and about. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"Well obviously I'm awake," Draco snapped icily at her, oh how he hated people that stated the blooming obvious. "And when you consider that I'm stood waiting to use the bathroom, I would have thought it would be blatantly obvious what I'm doing." The only thing Draco found more annoying that people who stated the obvious, were people who questioned things that were, again, _blooming obvious_.

"Oh yes, so you are. Sorry. But when you've been to the loo, you must get back into bed, OK?" she asked as if she was talking to one of the small children back in the ward.

Without bothering to answer the annoying woman, Draco brushed by her into the bathroom, and shut the door with a resounding click.

After relieving himself, Draco decided to grin and bare it and get the answers he wanted from the annoying woman he met moments before, as there was no one else around that he could ask, and he did want to know now.

He walked swiftly out of the toilet, and after a quick scan of the room spotted the woman retreating out of one of the other wards, before she turned and headed to the desk in the middle of the room. Slowly he walked over to the desk and had to cough quite rudely to get the young womans attention.

"Hello again Mr Malfoy. Was there something I could help you with?" She asked, giving Draco a strained smile, while watching him questioningly with her slightly weary eyes.

"Yes, actually there is something you can help me with. I would like some questions answered and as you are the only one around you will have to answer them." Draco said, phrasing it so the woman would know very well that he did NOT want to talk to her, but had no other choice. "How did the battle end? How long have I been out and what the hell am I doing in a children's ward?" He snapped impatiently at her, choosing what he believed to be the three question that he wanted answered now. All the others, he thought, could wait. Draco's legs were getting quite tired and he wanted to sit down, but didn't dare for fear of showing his weakness to the unknown member of staff sat before him.

"Well, OK then," she said bringing one hand up and holding up three fingers, one for each question. "Harry Potter won the battle for the light side and You-Know-Who is definately gone for good this time. You've been here in a slight comma for about three weeks and you are in the childrens ward because everywhere else is full with people with injuries far more servier than yours." she said, not unkindly, ticking Draco's questions off of her fingers one at a time.

"How did Potter do it?" he asked, hardly able to believe what she had just told him. He was free. His family was free. No more killing, torture or punishment. No more fear for his life... for his familys life. It was almost too good to be true, but oh how he wanted it to be.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know. After the battle everyone's been really busy trying to clean up and sort out everything. And as I've heard it Mr. Potter was also injured and has yet to give his story to the public." she answered, still eyeing the blond up as if afraid he may attact her at any given moment.

"But I have a card from him. If he was injured when did he come to see me?" Draco questioned, somewhat confussed.

"It came by owl about three days ago, as did Professor Dumbledore's" she replied shortly.

"You read my mail?" he asked disbelievingly.

"What, oh no, Mr Malfoy. Your parents came to visit you the day after the cards arrived and they opened them. I only overheard them talking about it. Not that was trying to overhear I might add but... well it is kind of hard not to, you know." she finished in a fluster.

Draco rather enjoyed watching the woman squirm under the pressure of his question and was full out smirking by the time she had finished digging her own hole deeper than he would have thought neccessary.

"Look, Mr Malfoy, why don't you go back to bed and in the morning a doctor will come round and asses you to see if you can go home. And if I remember correctly your parents said they would come back and visit you in the morning."

"Oh, another thing you accidently 'overheared' my parents talking about I take it?" he questioned, and actually laughed as he turned his back on the now flustered and desperate look woman. Carefully he climbed back into bed and hoped his brain would shut down soon, he really was very tired, not that he'd ever admit that.

He laid still in the darkness thinking about the final batter or more specifically about his mother. He had never ever seen a look of such hatred on his usually passive mother's face. Never had he heard so much venom dripping from her mouth as she raised her wand and aimed it at her own sister. Never had a look scared him so much, even though it was to protect him. He vowed to himself never to be the one that caused it, and prayed that she never looked like that again.

Eventually sleep had claim Draco, and he had found himself in a thankfully dreamless sleep which held him captive until the next morning, when he was woken to a quiet snickering, coming from somewhere to his right. Grudgingly he pulled himself into a sitting possition but kept his eyes closed for a moment to block out the impending sun light.

Carefully, slowly, Draco opened one eye, and then the other before turning his head to find the source of the light laughter. What he saw shocked him. There on the bed next to his was every single occupant of the ward he was on, and every single one of them had their hands pressed harshly against their mouths to try and stop the laughter that was threatening to explode from them.

"Um... good morning." he said in what he hoped was a passive tone. They all giggled a little more behind their hands. "Pray tell what's so funny?" he asked, again trying to remain passive, although he raised the trademark eyebrow that all Malfoys used. Again all any of the children could do was laugh more behind their hands, although Draco was sure that some of them would pass out soon if they did stop.

"Hi," said a small voice that like the others was drapped in mirth. "Did you sleep well?" she asked almost bursting from the held back laughter.

"I was until you all woke me up with your laughing!" Draco growled harshly at her, before asking again, "could you please tell me what it is that you all find so funny?" He was getting annoyed now. No body laughed at a Malfoy, especially if he didn't know why they were.

"While you was sleeping," snicker, "you, um, you did something..." pause for breath, "you did something that made us wanna laugh. We did try not to but it was so so so funny." she finished before bursting out with laughter and trying to smother it with a pillow.

"Well could you tell me I did or an I supposed to guess?" Draco asked sarcastically rolling his eyes.

"You... well, you farted." At that every single one of the kids collapsed in a terrible state. Two fell to the floor, laying on their backs, legs cured so they were holding on to their knees, and rolling around while laughing so hard it looked like they might do themselves a mischief. Two others had managed to stay on the bed, barely, and were holding on to each other for dear life as tears streamed from their eyes in hysterics, and the other was bouncing around all over the room, trying to stay on their feet while doubled over in obvious pain as they laughed so hard it seemed like the room was vibrating.

Draco on the other hand looked like someone had just smacked him across the face with a wet fish, until a pleasant pink flushed his entire face. He felt like pulling the covers up over his head so he wouldn't have to watch the kids but he would still be able to hear. Urgh, to think that he'd done that in his sleep, with an audience. Malfoy's never ever _ever_ do things like that in public. He tried to reason with himself that he couldn't have helped it if he was asleep, but Draco didn't think he'd be getting over this quickly, especially not with the childrens laughter ringing in his ears.

Then everything took a turn for the worse as the ward doors opened and a nurse, a doctor, and, Merlin forbid, his parents walked in. All four adults were stood stock still daring to penetrate the room any further while watching the children falling about all over the place laughing their heads off.

The nurse was the first to recover as she looked over at Draco and saw the blush on the usually pale cheeks of the youngest Malfoy. "Well Mr. Malfoy," she said in a far to cheerful voice for Draco's liking. "Whatever it is you did or said has definately cheered up this little lot, hasn't it. We'll have to get you to repeat it for all the other rooms and see if we can cheer everyone up."

If possible Draco's blush deepened and the nurse chuckled pleasantly behind her hand. "Well Mr Malfoy, I'll just get Dr Avex to look over you, find out if there is anything wrong and then we'll deside if you can go home or not, and if you can't go home yet we'll know why." she said calmly, as she picked up one of the laughing kids and placing them carefully on one of the beds, before leading the small group of adults towards the bed.

Narcissa summoned up two chairs for Lucius and herself, which were placed on the left side of Draco's bed, while the doctor and nurse made their way over to the right side, towards the machine Draco had spotted last night. The Doctor pulled out a clipboard of parchment from the holder at the end of the bed and flipped some of the pieces before finding one and reading it over. He was a short man, but not over weight, had a slightly balding scalp of muddy blond hair and had a look of being quietly confident in his hazel eyes.

The nurse, Draco observed, was taller than the doctor but not by much, making her still shorter than himself, and had almost black hair pulled back into a tight bun, the same sort that Draco remembered Professor McGonagall having. She had the kind of face one would expect from a kind mother and had plenty of worry lines on her forehead.

"How are you feeling, Draco?" his mother asked in an impassive tone, pulling Draco out of his musings over the nurse.

"I'm fine thank you Mother." Draco replied in a voice just as impassive as his mothers.

"That's good to hear. Hopefully you'll be aloud home soon then."

"Yes, hopefully I will." Draco said turning his head slightly, allowing his shoulder-lenght hair fall into front of his face and giving his mother a warm smile before pulling it back behind his ear. It had been a small, fleeting smile but Draco knew that his attentive mother would have seen it.

"Right, I've done all of the tests now and just need a sample of your blood before I leave. Nurse, could you do that?"

"Of course, Dr Avex." She replied in a business like tone.

"Great. Once all the results are back I'll return and give my verdict. It should be no later than lunch time, so until then keep taking it easy OK?" Without waiting for an answer the doctor had turned and made his way out of the ward.

"OK Mr Malfoy. If you could just raise your arm a little for me. That's it." she said, before quickly muttering a sting of Latin Draco couldn't understand under her breath. He watched transfixed as some of his blood seeped up though his skin and then into a glass tube the nurse held in her hand. "All done." she said pleasantly, placing her wand in her pocket and putting a stopper on the tube with now contained Draco's blood. "Like Dr. Avex said, take it easy. So no bouncing around like this lot," she said while waving a hand in the general direction of kids behind her.

After she had left, Lucius Malfoy gave a tiny flick of his wrist and the curtains around the bed swiftly shut. They had only been closed a second before Draco was almost knocked backwards as his mother threw herself at him in a massive rib cracking hug. Luckily while she had done this Lucius had also put up a silencing charm as in the next minute Narcissa had started screaming.

"YOU FOOLISH, _FOOLISH_ BOY! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING RUNNING OFF LIKE THAT! AND TACKLING YOUR AUNT! WHAT WAS GOING THREW YOUR HEAD WHEN YOU DECIDED TO DO THAT! SHE COULD HAVE KILLED YOU! AND EVEN IF SHE DIDN'T KILL YOU THE DARK LORD COULD HAVE WON AND THEN WHERE WOULD YOU BE, HUH!? WORST THAN DEAD! YOU COULD HAVE... COULD HAVE..." she broke off in a sob and Draco who had drawn himself away from her while she raved, now took her into his arms and held her tight while she gave way to tears. "I don't know what i would have done if I had lost you Draco. I was so scared watching you running straight towards the Dark Lord. I thought you were _actually _trying to get yourself killed."

'I know mum, I know, and I'm so sorry I scared you like that, but I had to do something. Potter was barely hanging on in his fight the You-Know-Who, but if Bellatrix and joined him as well there was no way in hell that he would have won. I had to do something. It had to stop. You know that mum." Draco said in a soft, soothing tone, hopeing to reassure his mother with words he didn't have.

Lucius Malfoy was watching the scene unfold before his eyes. Anyone who knew the Malfoys would have probably needed to pick their jaws up off the floor when his wife had started crying, but then to hear his son speaking like that, with such warmth and sadness all at the same time, they surely would have passed out on the spot. It made him smile to see that his wife was finally letting her emotions out now that she could see for herself that their son was alive and well, and to see the love passing between them. Because of the family history and what was expected of the Malfoys, they never showed their emotions in public. They were known and respected for staying unemotional in times of get emotion and therefore were able to get where was needed done faster and to a high quality than anyone else. It was only in private that they dared show any emotion towards each other.

People believed that Lucius was a bad father becuase he didn't care for his son, but that couldn't be further from the truth. He very much loved his son and would do just about anything for him, but with a straight and unflinching face. Again with his wife, people assumed they had a bad marriage because they were never affectionate towards each other in the public eye, but get them alone and they were still like love-sick teenagers. Things aren't always what they appear but that saying had never been more true than when applied to the Malfoy family.

"So," Lucius said on a sigh, moving round to the other side of the bed, before purching on the edge across from Narcissa, "how are you really feeling?"

Draco smiled at his father kindly before replying, "a bit sore, my wrist aches rather badly and I've got quite a headache, but beyond that I am really fine."

"That's probably normal. The doctor told us that your wrist was shattered from where you fell on it and that after being asleep for so long that you's..."

"Dad!" Draco cut his father off abruptly. "Stop beating around the bush will you and just tell me what happened after I passed out." Draco demanded, looking his father in the eyes to gauge his reaction.

"Ok, fine. After you so foolishly ran off to help Potter, your mother ran after you. Well, she tried to run but her ankle was pretty messed up, so she more likely hobbled after you. By the time Bellatrix had hit you with that curse she had just caught up, and she was furious. She killed her." Lucius said, reaching over Draco for Narcissa hand and giving it a firm squeezing. "Not that I mind of course. She was a bitch." He added matter-of-factly, although Draco was sure that was for his mother's benefit.

"She had it coming," Narcissa said, squeezing her husbands hand back slightly. "Nobody hurts my Draco and gets away with it!" She all but growled through her teeth, in that instances looking quite menacing.

"Yes, anyway, as I said she killed her. The Dark Lord was rather shocked to say the least and that took his attention away from Potter. I'm not sure how he managed to recover so quickly as he too looked extremely shocked but Potter did recover and in that instant killed the Dark Lord. One second he was there, standing, looking livid, like someone had stolen his favourite toy, and the next he was on his back, eyes open in surprise, dead." he finished simply. At first they took you up to the hospital wing in Hogwarts but Pomfrey couldn't figure out what you had been hit with so they sent you here, where the only room they had for you was on this childrens ward. You stayed unconcious for three weeks, and no one could figure out what was wrong with you. But they said that you seemed stable and so they just left you to see if you would wake on your own, which it seems, you did." Lucius finished, looking over to his wife to see if he had missed anything.

"And now here we are," Narcissa added shortly, but with a smile on her face. She was very happy to have her son back in the land of the living,every time she had come to visit him and he had still been asleep, she had felt more and more depressed by thinking that she was losing her son, her baby. To see him awake had been wonderful and she counted all her lucky stars that her small family was still whole.


	3. Enter Elloisa

**Disclaimer: I do ****NOT**** own the Harry Potter world!**

**A/N: **Thanks again to all those who reviewed. It really does inspire me to keep writting.

**A/N 2: **Now onto all the good stuff. This is where the story really kicks off so I hope you all like it :-)

**Chapter Warnings:** Some people may wish to hurt one of the characters in this chapter but I promise that they will only rear their ugly head once more in this fic.

Oh and _one _swear word that I can recall

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: **Enter Elloisa

As promised, Dr Avex came back just before lunch with a thin brown file in his hand and a slightly confused look on his face. He stepped up to the bed quickly and just as Lucius had done earlier, flicked his hand in the direction of the curtains, causing them to close.

"Now then Mr Malfoy. I must say that your case is an unusual one, that much is sure. But what I'm not so sure on is what is wrong with you. There is definately something showing in the scans and blood test results, but what exactly that is no one knows. I would like to ask you to stay in the hospital for another two weeks at least, so that we will have more of opportunity to monitor you and find some answers. Would that be ok with you Mr Malfoy? He asked, finally looking up from the file that contained Draco's test results.

Draco took a breath and opened his mouth speak to Dr Avex "Two weeks?" Narcissa said with slightly wider eyes than neccessary, promptly cutting off anything the Draco might have said. "But that would mean he's in here for Christmas!"

"Yes, but I wouldn't ask him to stay if I didn't think it important. We need to know what is wrong with your son, Mrs Malfoy. If we don't something might happen as the prolonged result of the spell cast on him and we might not know what to do until it's too late." Dr. Avex said, completely forgetting that Draco was right there next to his mother in his attempt to win her over to the idea.

Draco opened his mouth again, ready to say something to the doctor when this time his father cut him off. "If he needs to stay, then he stays. We want him completely healed, and we want whatever this spell is removed from him. He will stay until we know for sure that he is safe from harm from the spell." he said to Narcissa.

"But Lucius, in hospital over Christmas. He should be at home with us, his family."

"I know, I know, but we want him better don't we?"

"Obviously, but..."

"EXCUSE ME!" Draco snapped, after having enough of people talking over him. His parents turned to look at him, they eyes betraying how shocked they were to hear Draco speaking not only out of turn in public, but rudely too. "I am right here! I can speak for myself! And I can answer for myself! So if you don't mind I'd like to all to STOP talking about me as if I weren't here. And before you say anything Father, yes I know it was rude of me to interrupt you all, but I'd like to point out so was talking about me when I am right here!" Draco finished cutting off his father before he'd even opened his mouth to repremand Draco for his lack of tact.

Lucius stood up straighter and thought breifly over what Draco had just said before finally speaking up. "You are quite right, son. It was very rude of all of us to do that, but surely you'd want to stay and find out what that spell was. However if you do wish to return home for Christmas I won't stop you either."

"Thank you father, and thank you mother for standing up for me, but I would like to stay. I don't think it a good idea to be walking about with an unknown curse running through me, do you?" Draco said with a tight half-smile.

"I couldn't agree more," Dr Avex said lightly before turning on his heel and calling over his shoulder towards the family that he would let the nurses know he was staying until after Christmas.

"Draco, darling, you can't _want _to stay here over Christmas," Narcissa said, trying to understand her sons decision.

"No mum, I don't but i need to. I don't want to get sick or anything. It's better if i stay here until we know for sure what's wrong with." Draco said with an almost pleading tone to his voice, almost begging for his mother to understand.

"OK, well we have to go now, but we'll be back tomorrow, and everyday after that if I can help it, until we have you back home, ok darling? Is there anything you want from home, anything I can bring for you tomorrow?" Narcissa said carefully pulling her dainty hand through her sons soft hair.

Draco leaned into the touch slightly as he answered her, "No mum, nothing I can think of right now."

"Ok then we best be off. Come Narcissa." Lucius said softly, pulling a very reluctant mother away from her son before giving Draco a quick one armed hug whispering in his ear, "Get Well Soon son." before pulling back and leading Narcissa out of the curtained off area and then Draco hear the door of the ward close with a soft click.

Draco closed his eyes and allowed a depressed sigh to pass his lips. He didn't want to stay at the hospital at all, in fact he was sorely tempted to run after his parents and beg them to take him home with them. But he knew he couldn't. He needed to know what was wrong with him and the only way to find out was to stay in hospital. Maybe they'd figure out what was wrong with him before Christmas and could go home then? Maybe they'd let him out of hospital just for the one day so he could go home for Christmas? Maybe...

Draco was brought out of his musings by a raised voice just beyond the curtains around his bed. He turned his head slightly and listened to what was being said.

"How dare you waltz into _my_ ward and tell _me_ that _you_ are removing one of _my_ patients! You have no right to, now get out!" Draco recognised this voice as belonging to the nurse who had taken his blood earlier. She had sounded so nice and warm then, but now her words cut through him as if she were spewing ice rather than words.

"Madam I must insist that you move. You have a dangerous animal behind you, and as such she needs to be dealt with to ensure the safety of everyone else."

"She is NOT dangerous. Not yet, there is another two weeks until the full moon! That is two weeks for me to find her family!" The nurse replied just as coldly as before. Obviously she didn't agree with this man, whoever he was.

"She has been her for nearly two weeks already and no family had come for her. No one has reported a girl matching her discription missing in the last 6 months. Believe me when I tell you that _no one_ is coming for her!"

Draco heard a new sound threw his bed hangings now. A strangled sob coming from the bed next to his. Draco had heard enough to know they were talking about a werewolf, and he couldn't help but want to punch the man, _hard_, for saying such things in front of a child.

Quickly Draco pushed himself to his feet and moved to the bed hangings at the side of his bed. Finding the gap where the curtain met the wall, Draco peeped through and saw the little girl who had told him he had farted in his sleep, curled up into a tight little ball on her bed, cuddling a pillow and crying her eyes out. Carefully he made his way over and sat on the edge of the bed, the little girl flinched and looked up at him. He smiled and open, honest, genuine smile at her and she gave a watery one of her own back.

Draco opened his arms in invitation and the girl practically flung herself into his arms. He picked her up as though she was nothing and carried the trembling figure back to his own bed, sitting on it cross-legged and cradling the small child in his lap.

The arguing was still going on the other side of the curtains and Draco devided his attention between calming the girl and listening to the fight.

"It is hardly her fault! It isn't as though she asked for this!" The nurse ragged on and internally Draco was cheering her on.

"I don't care. She has no family, no relatives and no friends. No family will ever take _that_ in and there is no where else for _it_ to go. This is the only way to ensure that no werewolves are out trapsing the streets, killing or even worse _turning_ innocent bystanders!"

"SHE WAS AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER YOU STUCK UP PRICK! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT!"

"Ok, I've tried reasoning with you and now I've had enough, guards move her!"

Things went quiet for a couple of seconds and then the sounds of a slight confrontation could be heard, before finally the sound of curtains being drawn back.

"WHERE IS IT!" the man cried enraged. "WHAT DID YOU DO WITH IT! YOU WILL TELL ME RIGHT NOW OR I'LL..."

"What? Come on, you'll what? I don't know where _she_ is, but even if I did I wouldn't tell you! Now let me go. The law states that every werewolf child has until there first transformation to find somewhere to live. Her first transformation isn't for another two weeks, so get the hell OUT!"

"Fine I'll go... for now, but you should know that the law is changing, soon it will be the second they are bitten and survive. But alas the law hasn't been changed _yet_. I will be back in two weeks, you had better find that _thing_ somewhere to go before I get my hands on it!"

Silence again until the door banged against the wall where it had been thrown open with such force, and then another bang as it landed heavily back in the frame. A few more seconds passed and then the curtains around his bed were being ripped apart.

"Oh thank Merlin, you've got her. Is she ok?" the nurse asked once again sounding like the kind, caring nurse from earlier.

"Just a little scared I think. She should be fine." Draco replied, moving his arm slightly so she could see the girl pushed as far as she could get into Draco's clothes and was shaking slightly still, though no where near as bad as before.

"Oh good. Thank you Mr Malfoy." She said smiling fondly at the girl which speaking to Draco.

"Please call me Malfoy is my father." he said quietly.

"Very well. Thank you Draco." She said gently raising her head to smile at him. "Elloisa? Elloisa the nasty man has gone now. No one here will hurt you, I promise. Tell you what, lunch is ready and I'll bet if you ask him nicely Draco might let you eat with him." She said kindly, quickly look up again at Draco, her eyes questioning if he would.

Draco nodded slightly to her and she sighed almost silently in relief. "It's you favourite today, Chicken and Vegetable Pie, with mashed potatoes, carrots and gravy."

At this the girl, Elloisa, raised her head a look at the nurse, who nodded in confirmation, and then looked up at Draco before asking in the smallest voice Draco had ever heard, "Pwease can I eat lunch with you Mr Dwaco, sir?"

Draco felt his heart melting as the girl stared at him with hugh stunning blue eyes, which still looked shiny from where she had been crying. Unable to push the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat away, he nodded his head and almost cried on the spot when he saw how happy the simple nod had made her.

All sense of being scared left her and she started bouncing up and down in his lap. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said over and over before the nurse calmed her down and told her to go and wash her hands and face before she started eating. Elloisa jumped down off the bed and ran off in the direction of the bathroom, but when she got to the door, she stopped turned around and sprinted back. "Mr Dwaco, Sir? Does that mean you're my friend now?" she asked in a slight whisper looking down at her bed socks.

"Of course it does," Draco replied quickly before adding, "and it just Draco to you, that is if I may call you Elloisa?"

"Of course you can," she nearly squealed in delight before running back towards the bathroom sing 'I've got a friend, a real friend' to a tune only she knew.

Once Draco was sure that she was gone he turned his attention to the nurse. "So do you have a name too, or am I to just call you nurse?"

"Of course, it's Nurse Emily Forten." she replied to Draco with a smile on her lips.

"You're first name is Nurse? How unfortunate for you. So you really only ever had the one career choice then?" Draco teased lightly.

"Oh very funny," she said in a tone as light as his.

"Seriously though, what were they going to do to her lock her up or something?" Draco asked her seriously.

Nurse Forten lost her smile instantly. She looked behind her to make sure Elloisa was still in the bathroom before tuning back to Draco to answer him, her voice was as grave as a ministers during a funeral. "It's worst than that I'm afraid. They wanted to kill her by a fatal injection of pure liquidated silver."

"Oh Merlin! How could they do that? Surely they can't! It's murder! It's inhumane! It's wrong on so many levels! How did they think they could do that?" Draco asked talking so fast that he didn't once take a breath.

"They think they can do it because... well, they can. There was a law passed about twenty years ago stating that if ever a werewolf child was homeless and parentless they were too be killed. No one ever wants to adopt a werewolf, so if none of their own family come forward to protect them, they are sent to the ministry for them to 'dispose of'. Nurse Forten said sadly. She obviously didn't agree with this.

"Urgh, that's horrible!" Draco said, feeling slightly sick at the thought.

"I know but there is nothing one person can do about it. Unless hundreds upon hundreds of people sign a petition it will continue to happen. I am one of very few werewolf supports, so it is likely that the law will never change. There is an old saying the it takes only one man to start a war, and that saying is true, but unfortunately it takes thousands of people to end it. It's simply not possible"

Draco opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he caught sight a very upset Elloisa walking towards his bed. "Hey Elloisa. What's the matter?" Draco asked, genuinly concerned for the little girl, while lifting her up onto his lap and cuddling her against his chest.

"When I went to the toilet to wash my hands I saw all them other kids from in here in a little classroom. I asked them what they was doin' and they said that they was making letters to send to Santa Claus. I asked if I could make one too, and they told me that I couldn't because no one loved me because I was naughty so why would Santa come bring me presents if I was that naughty. I don't know what I dun, but I is really sorry. And now Santa won't come and give me presents. And... and..." she cut herself as she desolved into an almost hysterical crying fit.

"Hey now. You weren't bad," Draco said quietly in her ear, while rocking her slowly and rubbing small comforting circles on her back. "You are a good little girl and Santa knows that. I bet that when Christmas comes you'll get more than one present. And you know what else," she looked up at him through sopping wet eyelashes waiting for him to continue. "I'll bet that if you right to Santa he might even come and visit you here."

"No he won't Santa is too busy to come see me." Elloisa said putting her head back down against Draco's chest.

Using his index finger Draco gently tipped her head back so she had to look at him and then wiped away her tears before saying, "I know that Santa always has time for special little children, and they don't come more special than you." He said kindly smiling down at her.

"Really? I'm special?" She asked her eyes going wide at the thought.

"You sure are Elloisa, and never let anyone tell you different. Ok?"

"Ok Dwaco."

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**A/N: **Awwww, isn't Elloisa a cutie? I loved writting her character. So drop me a review and let me know what you think of her. PWEASE!!!


	4. A Plan For Christmas

**Disclaimer: I do ****NOT**** own the Harry Potter world**

**A/N: **I love the reviews so keep them coming. For those of you who point out my spelling mistakes I am looking into getting a beta reader as I've heard they are amazing. Also I'd like to point out that my computer completely crashed and I lost everything on it, including Microsoft Word and my best friend, the spell-checker! Oh the inhumanity of it all. So... yeah, please bear with me, slowly but surely I'm getting there.

**Chapter Warnings: **There is a little time jump in this chapter but only a little one. I just wanted to get to Christmas because otherwise Draco and Elloisa never get there. Also for those of you who tear up easily, watch out for this chapter.

**Chapter 4: **A Plan For Christmas

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Over the next couple of weeks, Draco and Elloisa grew increasingly close. So close that Elloisa had taken to climing into Draco's bed with him when she was scared or sad or if she'd had a nightmare. She was introduced to Draco's parents, who had both fallen in love with her, and were both as equally shocked by what the Ministry was trying to do as Draco had been.

Truth be told Draco loved the little girl so much that when he thought about the Ministry he always went on the defensive. He thought everything over and his father had done some research into the law that stated the Ministry had the right to do that. No loop hole was found and the closer to Christmas it got the smaller the chance of saving Elloisa.

Not that Draco ever let on to her that anything was wrong. She had done what he had suggested and written a letter to Santa, which she had given to one of the nurse's to post for her. Later that night when she was asleep they brought it too Draco who opened it and actually cried because of what was written.

_To Santa_

_ My name is Elloisa Cromwell and I am living in Saint Mungo's hospital_

_ on the childrens ward. I was wondering if you would maybe like to _

_ come over some time and have a drink of milk and a mince pie with_

_ me and my really good friend Draco. He was the one who told me to _

_ write this to you. He said that I was special and that you always_

_ have time for special little boys and girls. Don't worry if you don't have_

_ time though, I know your busy right now._

_ Draco also said that I should ask you for some things for Christmas_

_ but there is only one thing that I want and I know you can't help me _

_ with that. But Draco said to trust you and I listen to him so can I _

_ please have a family for Christmas. My Mummy died of cancer just _

_ before I was bitten by that big, scary dog-thing, and I never had a _

_ dad so if you can do it, please can I have a family for Christmas._

_ Oh yeah, can I please have a new dolly as well please._

_ Thank you very much_

_ Love From_

_ Elloisa_

_ XX_

After wiping his eyes on his bed-shirt sleeve, Draco found he had a new resolve to help Elloisa.

That night he had fallen into a horrid nightmare where the Ministry came to take her away from him. She had screamed for her daddy to come and help her, to save her from the nasty man, but no daddy had come. Then a particularly terrified scream filled the room in his dream and he looked over to see Elloisa trying to pull away from the nasty man who was injecting something into her arm. The fatal silver injection.

After they had finished pumping her full of the liquid silver, the dream version of himself, ran over to the quietly sobbing girl, and picked her up in his arms and craddled her against his chest, tears spilling down his cheeks and onto her hair. She was almost completely dead, but somehow she managed to looked up into his eyes and with her last breath she whispered, "why didn't you save me daddy?" before life escaped her compeletly.

The next day Draco knew what he needed to do and so he sat and waited for his parents to turn up like they did everyday so that he could put his plan into action.

Finally when his parents arrived he drew the curtains and asked his father to put up a privacy spell. That done Draco returned to his bed and waited patiently for his parents to settle in their chairs before starting what he expected to be a long and tiring argument.

"Mum, Dad, I want to adopt Elloisa." He said simply and instead of regreting his words once they had left his mouth he actually felt better. He was doing the right thing and he knew it.

"Thought you'd say that so I had these made up for you," Lucius said, shocking his son to the core when he placed in front of his the neccessary adoption papers. "They are all filled in a ready to you and Elloisa just need to sign once each and then two independent witnesses need to sign under that," Lucius said confidently pointing to the places where the signatures were needed. "You're mother has already started changing one of the basement rooms, and put wards around it so she will have somewhere to go to transform." Lucius stated and a shocked Draco shifted his shocked eyes from his fathers calm and impassive face to his mothers beaming one.

"Never have I been more proud to call you my son then when I realised what lengths you'd go to just to keep that little girl safe, and she truely is the sweetest little thing in the world." She said as if that was the be all and end all of all or any argument that may be raised.

Shocked beyond all words, Draco gave his parents one more look, before throwing himself at that in a very Elloisa-like guesture of happiness before remembering himself and pulling back with a slight blush on his cheeks.

"I have a few more things to ask of you though." Draco said quietly hoping he wasn't pushing his luck. He reached under his pillow and pulled out a very worn letter to father Christmas from Elloisa and silently handed it to his parents, before sitting back to watch their faces.

Narcissa and Lucius read the letter together and as predicted reacted in totally different ways. Narcissa looked like she was about to start crying and looked behind her chair in hope to see the little girl there so she could hig her.

Lucius on the other hand looked as though he just been sent on a mission as important and as crutial as any the Dark Lord had sent him on. He slowly rose from his chair and took Narcissa's hand to help her rise up to. She looked at her husband questioningly but he simply turned away and addressed Draco. "We have to leave now, son. We have to go shopping for a dolly and find a Santa from somewhere. We should be back again tomorrow lunch time, but if we aren't it is only because Santa is really an elusive old fat man." He said calmly as if this were something he did everyday.

Narcissa looked like she wanted to leap on his and kissing his face all over, but refrained herself much to Draco's relief, and Draco just smiled warmly at his parents knowing that they would make this Christmas the best in histories records for one very speical little girl.

**A/N: ** So.... what do you think? I know it was a little short but I didn't dare carry on when that ending was soooooo perfect. Please leave me an early christmas pressy by pressing that little review button. Go on you know you want to ;-)


	5. Ho Ho Ho in the Hospital

**DISCLAIMER: I MAKE ****NO**** MONEY FROM THIS STORY, AND HARRY POTTER AND HIS ASSOCIATES ALL BELONG TO J K ROWLING AND CO.**

**A/N: **Hi all. I'm so so so sorry I haven't updated for so long. Work has been murder and Christmas was very hectic but now that everything has calmed down I think you all deserve a late Crimbo pressie from me in the form of a new chapter ;-)

**A/N 2: **Thank you all for your reviews I must say I'm lovin' them :-)

**kittenonabroomstick: **I love your reviews by the way lol. Yes the war does change people but like you said you'd have to be pretty cold at heart not to love her. Do not panic Harry Potter will be making his entrance very soon and he will playing an important role in this fic. Can't really say anymore without giving the whole story away.

**I'mTheCreationist and ams71080: **Thanks for the great reviews.

Thanks again to all those that reviewed especially **kittenonabroomstick,**your reviews kick ass lol.

**Chapter Warnings: Fake Santa coming your way.**

**Chapter Five: Ho Ho Ho in the Hospital**

**Enjoy!**

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Draco was getting very annoyed with the staff at Saint Mungo's Hospital. He had now been there and awake for nearly two weeks now and still they didn't know what was wrong with him. Several times in the last couple of days nurses had come over to him and said that they might have found out what was wrong with him but after taking his blood and doing countless tests and then making him wait hours on end for the results, only to find out that in actual fact they were taking a stab in the dark and the that they hadn't in fact found out what was wrong with him in the first place. IT WAS INFURIATING!!!

Elloisa was helping to keep him calm, and his parents were trying as well, but nothing could control the feeling of utter despair that was welling up inside of him.

It was Christmas tomorrow, so Draco was also really nervous about that. Would Elloisa want to be adopted by him? What if she only saw him as a friend and didn't want to become a member of his family? And even if she said yes, would everything work out? So much to think about and Draco thought his head would explode.

Today was no different to all the others. Some doctor from three floors down had heard about Draco's case and was now trying to figure out what was wrong with him. He had already taken some of his blood and run some other tests and, as always, Draco was sat waiting for the results.

Elloisa was with Draco trying to distract him from the long wait, and to her credit she was doing well. They were playing a game of Exploding Snap, and eating their way through a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans. It was like Draco was a child again. Before he knew it, the doctor was back carrying a brown file in his hands and a small smile on his face.

"Mr Malfoy, I have some wonderful news for you. The results from your tests are back and after carefully comparing them to the ones I did on your father yesterday, I am pleased to be able to tell you that you are absolutely fine. It would appear that the blips on your scans and blood tests are in actual fact curtsey of your Dark Mark."

Draco was livid. "You mean to tell me that there was nothing wrong with me in the first place. That I let all the nurses and doctors probe and prod me for nothing? That I was left in here for the Christmas Holidays for nothing!?" he practically spat at the doctor.

党I am terribly sorry for any inconvenience that you had while being here Mr. Malfoy, but we had to be sure that you safe and healthy." the doctor tried to explain, though he know showed a keen interest in the brown file in his hands. "But at least now we know for sure," the doctor trailed off when meet with a pair of shiny ice-blue eyes.

党Whatever, you can go now!" Draco said testily, and the doctor, who knew when best to bow out, left the ward. While this had been going on Elloisa had climbed carefully onto Draco's lap and was now snuggled up against his chest with one of her little hands wrapped around a lock of his hair. Draco didn't want to upset her and obviously his rising temper was doing just that, so he took a few deep breaths and willed his urge to scream down.

Draco sighed heavily before placing a small kiss on top of Elloisa's head. She was shaking slightly and that worried him. "Ella? What's wrong?" he asked in an almost silent whisper into the young girls ear.

党You're angry." It was a statement not a question. "I don't like it when your angry."

党But I'm not angry with you."

党What were you angry about then?" Elloisa asked in a scared little voice, a voice Draco hated because it meant that she was scared, and he _never_ wanted her to be scared of him.

党I was a little bit angry with the doctors here. I've been here for ages and they have only just found out what was wrong with me and it turns out that there was nothing wrong with me in the first place. That just annoyed me a little bit." Draco explained, almost begging for the little girls forgiveness.

党But Dwaco, if you hadn't been here I never would have gotten my first weal fwiend. So I'm glad that you came. Besides tomowwow is Christmas so you have to cheer up." Elloisa said in a tiny voice. It still seemed that she didn't like to speak up for fear of punishment. What she actually did was give Draco a mental slap round the head for be stupid enough to get upset around her and to remind himself of what he was planning for her tomorrow.

Draco calmed himself with a mental shake before smiling down at the tiny girl in his arms. "I know. And I am so happy that I met you, Elloisa. Your a very special person and very special to me."

党Love you, Dwaco." Elloisa said giggling and hiding her face from him. Draco thought his heart might burst from the happiness he felt from those words. "I love you too." Draco said back, tipping her head back so he could see her face when he said it. Elloisa smiled a smile that could have lit up the entire hospital before giving him a hug.

~*~*~*~

A small clock above the ward doors showed the time to be half past 7 in the evening. All the children on the ward were supposed to be getting ready for bed, while the nurses ran around after them trying to calm them down. In a short sleeps time it would be Christmas, a fact that hadn't escaped the attention of all the children in the children's ward of Saint Mungo's.

Draco's parents had been informed of the test results showing he was fine and had arranged to come to the hospital tomorrow morning to take him home, so that Draco could give Elloisa her present first thing on Christmas morning.

Draco was also excited though. He knew what was about to happen thanks to his father, and knew that this would be one Christmas to remember for all the children on the ward. Then as if by magic, a loud BANG rang through the room, followed by hearty "ho ho ho" from the door.

Draco whipped his head round to see a huge, fat man with a fuzzy white beard, stood in the doorway dressed all in red. The man had great ruddy cheeks and a jolly red nose and over his left shoulder he had a sack that looked to be over flowing with brightly wrapped presents. Although all the children were believing him to be Santa Claus, Draco knew the identity of the man straight away. It was Hagrid.

Everything that happened after that was a blur of colours and excited screams of "Santa!" All the children had ran over to him and were pulling him further into the room, while trying to tell him what they wanted for Christmas and had he read the letters they had sent.

党Well, why don't you all give me a moment and I'll see what I've got in my sack." The nurses were all smiling because they had given the children's letters to Draco dad, so they knew that the children would get at least one thing they had asked for from Santa Claus for Christmas. "Now remember everyone, Christmas isn't until tomorrow so you can't open them yet." Hagrid said joyfully while pulling out the parcels and making a pile in front of his feet.

党Lucy Redmed? Here you go."

党Jim Hafert? This one's for you."

党And this one's for Ben Jonans."

This carried on until all the presents were gone. Even the nurses had received something. Everyone seemed pleased were all talking excitedly amongst themselves about what Santa might have gotten them. That was, everyone except Elloisa, who was currently sat still at the end of her bed, her bottom lip trembling as she tried to not show how upset she was about not getting anything from Santa.

党Ok, I've got one last extra special present for a lovely little girl called, Elloisa. Is she here?" Hagrid asked in his deep voice.

Elloisa's head snapped up at hearing her name, and she spoke up cautiously as if this were too good to be true. "I'm Elloisa," she said putting her hand up in the air slightly.

党Well I got a letter from you asking if I could come and see you and so... here I am. How about a hug?" Hagrid asked opening his arms out wide as Elloisa, small as she was, nearly knocked him over in her haste to cuddle 'The Santa Claus'. Hagrid picked her up and swung her around in a circle before perching on the end of one of the children's beds and settling Elloisa down on his knee. "You're friend Draco was right, you know. I do only come out to see very special children. Special boys and girls like you."

党Really?" Elloisa asked timidly.

党Of course. Well for special children and the promise of milk and mince pies." Hagrid said, chuckling heartedly. Everyone laughed with him while one of the nurses took the hint and went to get some mince pies and warm milk for the large man dressed as Santa. "Now Elloisa would you like your present?"

党Oh yes please Santa," Elloisa all but screamed and started bouncing excitedly on his knee.

党He we are," Hagrid said passing her a box that was wrapped in bright pink wrapping paper, with teddy bears all over it. "But remember what I said? You can't open it until tomorrow."

党I promise I won't Santa." Elloisa said happily, shaking the box to see if she could guess what was inside it.

党Santa?" Elloisa asked a short while later, after Hagrid had polished off four mince pies and two large glasses of milk.

党Yeah?"

党Can you tell me what it's like where you live?" This question was soon followed by all the children cheering and begging for him to tell them as well.

党Ok then," Hagrid said, "but why don't you all get into bed first?" The sounds of children running around the room to finish getting ready for bed, and then the rustling of sheets could be heard for abut ten minutes before they were all settled and ready to listen to Santa. Even the nurses had settled into chairs to hear all about Santa's grotto.

党Right then, where to start? First my home is at the North Pole. I live in a huge building made entirely of ice that never melts. There are elves that live there too and they wear a special green and red uniform. They help me to make all of your presents. There is a big factory where they help me make the presents and there are stables were the reindeer live..."

For the next forty five minutes the children listened to Santa's story about where he lived and what he did there, before they all gradually drifted off to sleep. The nurses went around and tucked them all in, while Hagrid approached Draco.

党I've got a present for you to Mr Malfoy. It's from Harry." Hagrid said in a low whisper so he didn't wake the children.

党Thanks Hagrid... er, I mean 'Santa'." Draco whispered back, in a joking tone. "And thank you for doing this for the kids. I'm sure they won't forget it for a long time. After all, it isn't every say that you get to meet Santa."

党No trouble at all, 'sides it were Professor Dumbledore who recommended me to yer dad. 'Ave a good Christmas Mr Malfoy, hope to see ya back at school soon." Hagrid said sounding chuffed that Draco had thanked him. He gave Draco a small pat on his shoulder before throwing his sack over his shoulder and making his way out of the ward.

Draco looked down at the small parcel in his hand while moving the gift tag to read the small note.

_To Draco, _

_This is for making the dreams of many children _

_come true, and for proving that the Ice Prince _

_of Slytherin does have a heart._

_From Harry Potter_

Draco allowed a small smile to grace his thin lips as he wondered what Potter had given him for Christmas. It looked like this Christmas would be one for him to remember as well. That night sleep came easily from Draco. As he slept his hand curled slightly around the adoption papers while he'd placed under his pillow for easy access tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow he would be allowed to return home.

Tomorrow he would hopefully become a parent.

Tomorrow he would be able to take his new daughter home.

Tomorrow everything would fall nicely into place, not only for him, but for Elloisa as well.

Tomorrow would be the best Christmas ever!!!


	6. The Best Christmas Ever!

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

**A/N: Hello everyone. First of all, I am sooooooooooooooooooo sorry for appearing to abandon you all and my story, but that is not the case. I lost my job and then my mum had to go to hospital with a dodgy ticker and then I got a new job and then my mum came home and I had to help look after her, and then to cap everything off my best mate's mum died... so yeah, real sorry guys. But anyway to make it up to all of you I am going to be doing three whole chapters for you ;-) so sit back and relax and things in Draco's life get a little more interesting and Elloisa makes one hell of a first impression MWAH!!!**

**A/N 2: Thanks again to all those wonderful readers who reviewed and all the people who added my story to their alerts.**

**Chapter Warnings: Made-up spell that is very badly translated. (Sorry 'bout that lol)**

**Chapter Six: The Best Christmas Ever!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Draco was woken up on Christmas morning by a small, bouncy, bubbly little girl repeating over and over that it was Christmas in a sing-song voice. Elloisa was very excited.

"Dwaco, Dwaco, Dwaco! Come on Dwaco! Get up, get up, get up! It's Christmas, don't you want to see what Santa bought me yesterday? Come on Dwaco, get up now!"

"OK, ok, I'm up. Happy Christmas Ella." Draco said, trying to hold back a yawn with one hand and give Elloisa's hair a good ruffle with the other. Draco looked over her head at the clock on the wall and saw that it was only seven thirty in the morning. He groaned slightly before looking back to Ella, and saw the joy on her face and her pink present in her hands. "Alright then," he said picking her up and setting her down on his lap, "let's see what Santa bought you."

With a childish 'yippie' Elloisa rip into the pretty wrapping paper and emitted a small 'Oh wow' when she saw what it contained. Inside the packaging was the most beautiful doll Draco had ever seen. You didn't have to be an expert to know that what Elloisa was holding in her hands was a collectors edition, and most like _very_ valuable.

"Wow, Dwaco, look!" She said sounding a little wind swept at how amazing her new dolly was. "Isn't she beautiful?"

"She sure is," Draco replied, smiling at how happy she was with her present. Draco knew his mother well, and knew that without a doubt his mother had been everywhere to try and find the perfect doll, for who she hoped was to become her granddaughter. "What are you going to call her?"

"Angela." She said without hesitation. "It was my mum's name, before she... you know... died."

"Well, I happen to think that Angela is a beautiful name for a beautiful doll." This came from an unexpected voice at the end of Draco's bed. They looked round to see Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy standing there. It had been Narcissa who had spoken out about the dolls name. She was now smiling down at the slightly teary face of Elloisa.

"Mum? Dad? You're here very early." Draco stated, however his parents knew him well enough to know he was asking if something was wrong.

"Do not worry," Lucius said soothingly, "we knew that this little one would be awake early and thought we might as well come here and join you both in the festivities."

This time it was Draco's turn to read between the lines. His father was really asking if he'd asked Elloisa about the adoption yet.

"Why don't you two go and get something hot to drink? It must have been cold on the way here." Draco said while he really meant 'Bugger off, I haven't asked her yet!'

Narcissa smiled and placed a gentle hand on Lucius' arm. "What a good idea. We'll be back in about twenty minutes ok?"

"Sounds great, see you then." Draco replied thankful that they had understood his unspoken request. He took a long, calming breath and then turned to the little girl sat in his lap that had so completely melted his heart. "I something for you to, Elloisa." he said in what he hoped was a calm voice, while he reached under his pillow for the papers that could change both their lives. "Would you allow me to adopt you?" he said holding his breath and showing Elloisa the papers that only required her signature before being completed.

Elloisa looked down at the papers in shock and Draco didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. "I didn't think Santa could bring me a new family," she whispered to no one in particular. "But you told me he could," she said a little louder looking up at Draco. She had tears of happiness in her eyes as she threw her arms around Draco's neck and said "I'd love you... Daddy." before the tears started to fall.

Draco emitted a tiny, almost silent sob while holding her little body tight against him. "I love you, my little girl, my princess." His breathing was rough and heavy as he struggled to hold on to the tears of joy because after all his worrying and fretting, Elloisa had said yes! He was dad!

"Do I have to sign these?" she asked after pulling back slightly, but not letting go of Draco completely.

"Yeah," Draco said in a wobbly voice, pointing to a blank line at the bottom of the page. "Right here."

As soon as Elloisa had finished writing her name the papers rolled themselves up and vanished from sight. She gasped a little in surprise, while Draco chuckled merrily at her shock. "It's magic!" he whispered in her ear, and she giggled in response, while watching Draco's parents walk back into the ward. She tilted her head back and whispered to Draco, "Are they my grandparents now?"

"They sure are." Draco answered with a smile.

"Do we have a reason to celebrate then?" Narcissa asked grinning fondly at Elloisa.

"Yes, Elloisa said yes! The papers have been signed and sent to the Ministry. So Mum, Dad, allow me to introduce you to your granddaughter, Elloisa. Elloisa, your grandparents." Draco said happily.

Elloisa rushed forwards and was engulfed in a tight hug from Narcissa before turning to Lucius. She looked up at him and saw the small smile on his face. "Thank you," she said before hugging his midsection. Lucius's smile grew a little bigger at that and he patted her on the head before pulling back slightly and saying "No, thank you. Narcissa and I always wanted a little girl to dress up and spoil and now we have you."

Narcissa turned her attention to Draco. "What is that?" she asked pointing to the small package Hagrid had given him yesterday.

"It's from Harry Potter." Draco replied, picking it up and turning it over his hands.

"It _is_ very pretty to look at, but why don't you _open_ it?" Lucius said in a lightly teasing voice.

Draco tore the paper from the parcel and now had a very plain looking box in his hands. Opening the end of it three items fell onto the bed. He put the box on the table before turning attention to the items in his lap. There were two pieces of expensive looking parchment rolled up and tied, one with a simple red ribbon and the other with a Ministry of Magic wax seal. The last item was a small brightly decorated box.

This is what he picked up first. He turned it over and saw the messy Harry Potter scrawl on the front. _Because everyone needs some at Christmas_. Draco opened it and saw lots of chocolate pieces all individually wrapped in shiny plastic. He allowed himself a small smirk at the chocolate, he agreed with the note too, everyone needs chocolate.

Next he turned his attention to the parchment with the Ministry of Magic seal. Prizing it apart he unrolled it and after scanning it quickly his jaw dropping in amazement. How the _hell_ had he managed this?

His father had seen his sons jaw drop and was puzzled as to what Potter had given his son to get that reaction. "What is it?"

"It's a full pardon from the Ministry. Every single thing we've been accused of has been wiped from the records. Not just me either but you two as well. It will be as if we've never been under suspicion from them. Anything they took to test for dark magic will be returned. Potter gave us our freedom back. I can't believe it!"

Narcissa had also allowed her jaw to drop slightly and the raised eyebrows on Lucius' face said that he was as surprised as them but was showing it in a slightly more dignified way. "That's incredible!" Narcissa said after a few minutes. Draco handed the document to his parents, while he turned back to the last piece of rolled parchment.

With slightly shaky hands, Draco reached down and slipped the ribbon off before unrolling the paper. It was a letter.

_Draco,_

_I hope the other two presents were acceptable _

_and that you get good use from them. _

_I just wanted to say thank you again for what _

_you did during the final battle. As I've said_

_before, I'm not sure I would have succeeded _

_without your intervention. _

_My last present for you is one that I thought_

_you appreciate as it would truly mean your _

_free from any part of your past that would _

_shadow over your life in the future. _

**Solvo mihi ex obscurum **

_This is a spell that should remove the _

_Dark Mark from your arm. Professor_

_Snape has already used it and now finds_

_himself free of it. It shouldn't hurt you but_

_you may feel slightly uncomfortable while_

_the dark magic is pulled from you body._

_Wishing all the best._

_Harry Potter_

"Merlin!" Draco said under his breath, hardly daring to believe that this piece of paper would actually remove something so terrible from his skin. Wordlessly he handed the parchment to his father and watched for a reaction.

Lucius read it through once, twice, three times before allowing his jaw to finally drop in shock. "This is incredible. I can't believe it."

"What is it?" Narcissa asked. Lucius handed her the letter from Potter and waited for her reaction to this ground breaking discovery.

Elloisa had climbed back on to Draco's lap now that it was clear and hugged Draco tightly. "What is it, Dwa... I mean Daddy."

Draco smiled down at her and said softly, "it is a spell that will take this away," at his he pulled the sleeve of his top back to expose the Dark Mark on his forearm.

"That's great news Dad!" Elloisa squealed happily, tightening her arms around his neck.

"Yes it is, but I think that you should go and get dressed so that we can go home, don't you?"

"I'm so excited. I'll go now." That said Elloisa bounced off the bed and stumbled over her feet a little, gave Draco and shy smile and then left threw the curtain between there beds.

"I know your shocked with what Mr. Potter gave you for Christmas, Draco but we'll talk about it later once Elloisa is settled in to the Manor." Lucius lent forward and whispered in Draco's ear, "besides, I think your mother might burst if she can't start spoiling her rotten very soon." He pulled away with a slight grimace on his face, and Draco laughed.

"Well, Draco, it's all well and good you telling Elloisa to get ready but don't you think you should too?" Narcissa asked with a perfectly groomed eyebrow rising slightly across her forehead.

Draco just smiled at her, climbed out of bed, gathered his clothes and made to go to the bathroom. As he walked past his parents, smiled at them and said, "I'm a Dad! I have a daughter!" smiled and winning smile at them and then continued on his way to get washed up and read for the trip to Malfoy Manor. Home.

~*~

The trip to Malfoy Manor was on of sheer elation for Elloisa. Not only was she out of the hospital and going home, she actually had her own family to go home with. That mixed with the amazing views leading up to the manor, she was in a state of pure happiness.

Things just got better when she saw the manor for the first time. It was something out of a fairy tale for her. White marble columns, high arches, two-storey tall windows, and creeping vines draping themselves almost delicately along the stone walls. This place was amazing and Elloisa never wanted to leave.

~*~

The rest of Christmas day went without a hitch for the Malfoy family, which now included the small werewolf Elloisa. She received many more pressents from her new family and ate the best meal of her life. Finally when she was starting to tire Narcissa decided it was time for Elloisa to get her final present of the day.

"Honey, if you're tired why don't we put you to bed?" she asked in a kind voice.

"If that's ok with you?" she asked in a timid voice. The whole family agreed silently that they couldn't wait until she was confident enough to say things without fearing punishment for opening her mouth.

Draco walked over to where she was sitting on the couch and lifted her up effortlessly into his arms. After tucking her head into the crook of his neck, he rub slow, soothing circles on her back and Narcissa lead the family upstairs.

Draco had been wondering what room his mother would have chosen for his new charge and was relieved to find that it was one the one next door to his room. He would be close if she needed him.

"Right them, little lady," Lucius said with his hand on the door handle. "This is your room." As he said that, he pushed the door open to reveal what could only be called a princesses palace. The walls were decorated in various shades of pink and purple and there were small pictures of fairies strategically placed here and there throughout. There was a chest of draws, a walk-in wardrobe, a small double bed, and the most beautiful dressing table Draco had ever seen. All of the furniture was done in white and settled on the bed near the headboard was an assortment of the finest cuddly-toys money could buy.

"What do you think?" Narcissa asked as Draco walked with Elloisa to the middle of the room and put her down so that she could investigate it on her own.

"It's the most amazing thing ever!" Elloisa squealed happily, jumping up and down like a hyperactive kangaroo. "It's so pretty! I love it! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she said while running over to Narcissa and hugging her legs, before turning to Draco and hugging him too. "Thank you, this was the best Christmas ever!"

**A/N: ** The incantation should hopefully mean something along the lines of **To loosen me out of darkness. ** If that is wrong please don't shot me, I tried ;-) lol


	7. Returning to Hogwarts

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

**A/N: OK guys there is a lot of cute Elloisa coming your way in this chapter as well as your first glimpse of Harry. Hope you all enjoy it. Oh and thanks again to all my wonderful reviewers.**

**A/N 2: This chapter is a bit jumpy and I hope you can all jeep up with what's going on, but I was desperate to get Draco off to school and to get Harry Potter in on the story. Hope it's not too confusing.**

**Chapter Warnings: A couple of time jumps, but only small ones. **

**Chapter Seven: Returning to Hogwarts**

**Enjoy!**

**-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-**

Professor Dumbledore was twinkling like mad at the small girl sat on the other side of his desk on Draco Malfoy's lap. Sat on Draco's right was his mother and his father was too his left. They were all here to work out living and caring arrangements for Elloisa while Draco was at school this year.

"So Draco, in conclusion, I see no reason at all why your lovely daughter can't stay here with you at the school, which would only leave us with the problem of care while your in your classes." Professor Dumbledore said merrily.

"I don't think Elloisa would be comfortable being left in the care of someone she barely knew while I was in classes, so if your open to the idea, my parents would stay at the school with us during the week to help me with Elloisa and then return home for the weekend if they chose to. I've been thinking about this a lot and it does seem to be the best way around the problem of care while I attend my classes." Draco said very matter-of-factly. He had been thinking about this a lot and had already spoken to his parents to get them on side. They had already agreed to stay at the school should Dumbledore approve the idea.

"What a good idea," said Dumbledore surprising Draco a little. "If your parents are ok with that arrangement that is what we shall do." he said looking over and Lucius with a slightly raised eyebrow in question.

"Yes that's fine." Lucius said curtly.

"Then everything is sorted. When you return to the school tomorrow with the other students, Draco, I would advise you to leave Elloisa with your parents and after the feast meet with them in my office, before I show you all to your new accommodation." Dumbledore suggested twinkling even brighter when he saw the small girl Elloisa looking at his tray of Sherbert Lemons.

"That's fine." Narcissa said, standing up and helping Elloisa off of Draco's lap. "My husband and I will see you tomorrow evening then Headmaster Dumbledore. Until then good day." That said Narcissa grabbed Elloisa's hand and with her husband made for the door, Draco following behind them before he turned back at his name being called gently by Professor Dumbledore.

"Draco? Have you thought about an education for Elloisa? What is she to do all day if not learn? Just something to think about, my boy," he said before bidding Draco goodbye.

*-*-*

Later that night while Elloisa was in bed sound asleep, Draco lay on his back in his bed, arms folded behind his head, gazing up at the canopy, thinking about what Professor Dumbledore had said. What about an education for her? Was there any point teaching her how to do things when for the rest of her life she will be shunned for being what she is? Why are they shunned so anyway? It's not as if she's dangerous every single day she wakes up. One day a month she turns into a werewolf and because of that she will never have a life worth mentioning.

Yes Professor Dumbledore hired a werewolf as a teacher, but he's probably the only person that would hire them. What to do? And even if I tried to get her educated, who would teach her? No one qualified would teach a werewolf and no schools would take her because she's classed as a monster thanks to the damned Ministry of Magic What can I do?

Nothing! What can one person do to change the opinions of millions about werewolves? And then the idea hit him faster than a stampeding hippogriff. "I'll start my own school!" he announced to his dark bedroom walls.

Draco didn't sleep much that night with ideas flying in all directions. About a school and a campaign and Potter. Yes! As soon as school started up again he'd find Potter and get him on side. Yes! Everything would work out for the best. It had to!

-*-*-

The next day Draco didn't have time to be preoccupied. Not only did he have to be a Kings Cross Station in less than half and hour, but Elloisa was very nervous about moving to the school and needed constant reassurance.

"What will it be like? What if I don't like it? What if I get lost? What if...?" Elloisa questioned rapidly.

"What if the sky goes purple and your nose falls off?" Draco said jokingly and laughing heartily when Elloisa clamped her hands onto her nose. "Everything will be fine, you'll see. And it's not like you'll be alone. I'll be there and Grandma and Granddad. You'll be ok, I promise." Draco said gently picking her up and giving her a cuddle. "Trust me."

"OK daddy. I trust you." she said smiling shyly at him.

"That's my girl. I have to go now, so you be good for your grandparents OK Missy?"

"Yes daddy."

"And I'll see you very soon. Love you." Draco said warmly, giving her a small squeeze and setting her back on the floor.

"Love you too daddy."

Waving goodbye sadly Draco got into the carriage that would take them to the station and breathed a heavy sigh. He didn't want to leave her even if it was only for a couple of hours.

Before too long Draco was sat in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express with his trunk on the stands above him and an excitedly talkative Pansy sat across from him. Blaise Zambini was there as well but Crabbe and Goyle were not there. They had sided with their parents and were now waiting to stand trial at the Ministry. There weren't exactly missed though and without them there seemed to be an awful lot more room in the carriage.

"So what actually happened to you Draco? No one seemed to know. All we were told was that you'd been hit by a curse that no one recognized and you unconscious in Saint Mungo's." Pansy asked, obviously expecting the answer to be super amazing or something.

Draco told them that the curse had kept him unconscious for about three weeks and that they had kept him in a little longer to make sure that he was really OK and there were no lasting side effects of the curse. He didn't tell them about the spell Potter had given him for Christmas though. If Potter hadn't given it to them then he certainly wasn't.

He and his family had all tried it and to their utter astonishment, the spell had left all of their arms as unblemished as they had been before the Dark Lord had marked them. It had been incredible.

The rest of the train ride went by smoothly as did the carriage ride up to the school. As Draco and his friends entered the Great Hall he looked up to see the faces of his parents and with her head just about visible in between them was his daughter Elloisa. He smiled inwardly to himself and took his preferred seat at the Slytherin table.

Then as the rest of the student body settled down at their perspective tables Professor Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat loudly. Immediately the hall went silent. "Welcome back everyone. I must say I am delighted that so many of you made a safe return to us after the war and I hope you all had a good Christmas. Firstly I'd like to say a huge thank you on behalf of the school to Mr Potter for his excellent defeat of Voldemort just before Christmas and another thank you to all those who stood boldly at his side." Dumbledore paused to allow the Great Hall to erupt in cheers.

Draco took this opportunity to take a closer look at Potter. When considering that he faced off against the most feared dark lord ever just a few short months ago, Draco was surprised to see him looking so good. Sure he was a bit pale and Draco was sure his face wasn't that thin before, and if the bags under his eyes were anything to go by he wasn't doing as well as he would have liked everyone to think.

Again Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat and as before the hall fell silent. "Also I would like to announce that the Malfoy's will be staying here at Hogwarts. It would seem that Draco Malfoy is now a father but because of the young age of his daughter Mr and Mrs Malfoy have moved into the school during the week to help look after her while Draco attends his classes. I ask you all to treat them with the same respect that you show to your Professors. And now I believe we are all starving, so on to the feast." Having said that he clapped his hands and food appeared on the tables.

After it had been announced that Draco was in fact a dad now, a lot of people were turning in their seats to look at him and after Professor Dumbledore had finished talking a hushed whisper could be heard circulating the room. Draco just ignored it as best he could and carried on with his meal, missing the inquiring green eyes that looked over at him from the Gryffindor table.

After dinner Draco bade goodnight to his friends and went to the headmasters office as he'd been instructed to do. The instant he stepped into the room he was leaped on by his very excited little girl.

"Daddy this place is awesome. I love it. There are ghosts and on the way up here I was talked to by a pictuwe and the staiws were movin' all on their own and this place is _HUUUGGGEEE_ Dad but I'm not scawed any more because the pictuwes all said dey would make sure they looked after me and..."

"Hey jumping bean, why don't you breath a little bit. That's it," he said kindly as she took in a massive breath a let in out heavily.

"You was wight Daddy, I love it here alreawy!"

"That's fantastic darling," Draco said grinning ear to ear at how excited she was. He looked up to find his mother was in a similar state as him and his father's lips had a small curve which, because he was in public, was a sign of how happy he was, and Professor Dumbledore, as always, was twinkling merrily away behind his half-moon specs and smiling like a Cheshire Cat.

"Right then," said Dumbledore cheerily, "shall I show you to your rooms?"

"Yes, thank you Professor." Said Draco stifling a yawn, the lack of sleep from the night before was starting to get to him a bit now.

"Right this way then," he said merrily indicating that they should follow him. Thankfully after the huge dinner in the Great Hall people were too tired, it seemed, to want to linger in the hallways and Professor Dumbledore, his parents, Elloisa, and himself all made it to their new rooms without running into any unwanted attention.

They were lead toward the dungeons and Draco couldn't help but feel a little relieved that he was still going to be close to his friends in the Slytherin Common Room. They were shown to a picture of a family of snakes and Elloisa burst into a fit of giggles when one of the younger snakes came right to the edge of the frame to look at her.

"This is the entrance to your quarters," Dumbledore said stating the obvious a little bit, "and to enter just say 'Adder-nuf'."

Draco snorted a little as he tried and only just managed to hold in his mirth at such a ridiculous password. But when he thought about it he guessed it would be a password that Elloisa could appreciate. Grinning like a mad-man he walked into the apartments with his daughter in tow and found himself in a nice sized area with was obviously the sitting room. It was decorated tastefully in beige and and dark green and the sofa and armchairs had silver patterns on them and the whole collection of seating was placed around a large fireplace which already had a fire burning away in it.

"This is obviously the lounge and please feel free to redecorate if you would like to. Through that door there," he said pointing to the back of the room, "is the kitchen slash dinning space. And down this corridor," said Dumbledore indicating them down a narrow but well lit hallway, "are the bedrooms. The first door on the right is yours, Lucius and Narcissa, and includes an en-suit. The door next to yours is the bathroom, the one across from the bathroom is for Draco and the on next to Draco's and across from yours," at this he pointed to Draco's parents, "is all your Elloisa. Again you can change anything you like but I put you all where I did because Draco's bedroom has a connecting door to Elloisa's. I thought that would prove to be the best."

"Everything is perfect, thank you headmaster," Lucius said genuinely pleased at the amount of thought the headmaster had obviously put into their new quarters.

"Now Lucius, there is no need for formalities here. You are no longer a students and may call me Albus," he said clearly indicating that Narcissa was to do so also. "And that goes for you to my dear," he said leaning down to Elloisa's level. She giggled prettily at him and Professor Dumbledore's twinkling eyes seemed to be going full pelt. "I hope you all sleep well and that I see you all at breakfast tomorrow morning. Goodnight everyone."

"Goodnight," all the Malfoys replied.

After he was gone and the door was shut securely behind him, Draco burst out laughing. "Adder... Adder... Adder-nuf!" he finally managed to say through the laughter. Elloisa and his parents joined in with his laughter as it truly was the silliest password any of them had ever heard.

After he had finally managed to stop laughing, some fifteen minutes later, he straightened himself out and wiped the tears of mirth from his eyes before swooping Elloisa up into his arms and started walking towards the bedrooms. "How about we check out your new digs?" he said giving her a little tickle.

Draco opened the door and stepped quickly into the room, he could he his parents following them in behind him before they too stop and just stared at the room.

"_Wow!_ " Narcissa finally said, although it sounded more like a soft sigh. "He really went all out didn't he." It wasn't a question as they could all see that nothing had been left untouched by the headmasters careful decoration.

The walls of the room had been done like a mural and was just one continuous scene. It was of Hogwarts and it was incredible. Over in the distance in front of the was the gates to the school, and over to their left was the Forbidden Forest. On the right wall was Hogwarts itself standing proud and looking every bit as magical as the actual castle was. And behind them on the wall with door they had just come through was the giant lake, sparkling in the low sunshine. The detail in the pictures was absolutely astounding. Draco spotted the Quidditch Pitch in the distance and could almost swear there were little rooftops sticking up where Hogsmeade was. There were owls flying through the sky and there was unicorns and hippogriffs painted mid-leap over the grass surrounding the beautiful scene.

If after the amazing mural Draco had thought the furnishings would be a let down he was wrong. All the furniture was done in a creamy-white colour that screamed a little girl lived in the room. The wardrobe was a fairly small, and Draco guessed it was like that so Elloisa could reach the hangers, their was a small writing desk with a draw built into it and across the room from that was a gorgeous dressing table with a large oval mirror attached to the top of it. But it was the bed that caught Draco's eye the most. It was a very small double that, once Elloisa sprawled out in, Draco was sure it would fit her perfectly. It had four white beams, one from each corner, that went up until they almost touched the ceiling and they had another four beams attached to those making a square directly above the bed. From the four poles above the bed white and pink lace hangings hung down to give off the impression a real-life princess slept there.

All in all the room was incredible and Draco was sure his mother would be almost in tears at how wonderfully it had been decorated for her beautiful granddaughter.

"Is it weally mine, Daddy?" Elloisa asked in a timid voice, almost scared to find out that it wasn't really for her.

"She my angel, it is all yours." He said softly holding her tightly to his chest.

"Why don't you let Elloisa explore a bit before bed while we see to our rooms?" Lucius said gently. When Draco looked around at him his mouth was slightly open in a very un-malfoyish manner, and he couldn't take his eyes away from the walls. There was so much to see in them that Draco couldn't blame him.

"OK," Draco said placing Elloisa on the floor. Looking down at her he saw that on the floor that was a very soft, very thick pale pink carpet which, in Draco's opinion finished the room of perfectly. "Have fun exploring and I'll be back in a bit, alright Ella?"

"OK daddy." she said again in an almost whisper, and she walked slowly over to the her writing desk while looking at the walls and staring wide-eyed at the unicorns.

Draco smiled at her back and turn to the adjoining door to his bedroom. Once inside Draco could see that the headmaster had once again gone all out for him. The floor was bare with dark floorboards and there was a small couch in the middle of the room that faced a small fireplace. On either side of the fireplace were book cases as tall as the ceiling and at the far end of the room was large king-sized bed again with hangings but his were done in a heavy green material. Across from the fireplace and bookcases, along the wall with the adjoining door was a tall wardrobe made of the same colour wood as the floor but with a beautiful inlay done in a lighter shade of wood and against the wall with the door leading to the hallway was a ornate carved writing desk. At the foot of his bed, which again was made of dark wood was a thick shag-pile the same colour as his bed hangings.

Draco stared in awe of it all. His room was amazing. Very grown up and sophisticated in Draco's opinion.

He then made his way out of the door and into the hallway before heading into the bathroom. Again it was made up perfectly. This room was done in a black and white marble theme and instead of it feeling cold like Draco thought it might, it felt warm and inviting. There was a bigger than normal back tub against the far wall and there was a toilet placed strategically in a little alcove against the wall to his right. And again against the wall that was shared with his parents room was another alcove with a white marbled sink in it. Everything in this bathroom had been done with Ella in mind, Draco thought as he spotted a little step next to the bath tub and a larger set of steps pushed under the sink. That made Draco smile.

Then he made his way back to Elloisa bedroom and saw that she had moved on to looking in a truck that Draco hadn't seen in there earlier.

"Hey Ella, where did that come from?" Draco asked sitting down beside her and peering into the trunk.

"It was under my bed and look Dad, it's full of toys. Are dey for me too?" She asked her eyes sparkling with longing as she gently stroked a plastic unicorn's tail hair.

"I should think so considering they were in your room." he said chuckling softly to himself when she squealed in delight and started rummaging through the trunk again.

"Hello again," Narcissa said cheerfully as she and Lucius came through the doorway. "What's your room like Draco? Do you like it?"

"Merlin, mum, Dumbledore went full out on it. I've got my own fire place and a desk and two bookcases and the bed is up on like a little stage and it's a king-sized one two. The wardrobe was incredible and there is this shag-pile under the bed and it is truly the thickest thing I have ever seen! It is incredible and I love it!" Narcissa was almost in hysterics at Draco's enthusiasm over his room.

"Draco I will repeat what you said to Elloisa not even a hour ago. Hey jumping bean, why don't you breath a little bit." she said still giggling away like a school girl. Lucius was behind her grinning fondly as he watched his wife, son and granddaughter getting settled in to their new rooms. His family was finally acting as just that: a family, and what made it all better in his eyes was that it was _his_ family. And all because of this one little girl, he thought smiling inwardly at how sentimental he sounded, even to himself.

*-*-*

Up in the headmaster's office, Albus Dumbledore sat in his brightly coloured pajamas sipping on a cup of lemon tea thinking about the little girl that was now the daughter of Draco Malfoy. And what a little girl she is, he thought to himself. She already has that family wrapped around her little finger, and Albus knew that if she asked him for _anything_ he'd be hard pressed to say anything but yes to her.

Albus had learned the hard way never to take anything for face value, but when that face belonged to Elloisa Malfoy how could he not. Her face was just far too cute. Overall his first impression of the young girl was the best kind, he loved her already and would pay good money to see someone who didn't after meeting her.

One thing he knew for sure, one hundred percent, was that this was going to be one hell of a year at Hogwarts.


	8. The Plan!

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

**A/N:Finally some real Harry Potter action!! Yippie! I loved writing this chapter because it finally feels like the story is hitting full swing. Hope you like it. **

**A/N 2: Thanks again to all those wonderful readers who reviewed.**

**Chapter Warnings: The nasty Ministry man is mentioned so try not to hurt yourselves hitting the screen lol.**

**Chapter Eight: The Plan!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The next morning in the Malfoy's quarters found a very nervous Elloisa trying to decide what she wanted to wear for her first day in public as a Malfoy. She was a bright girl and she knew that the Malfoy's had an appearance in public to uphold and she desperately didn't want to let them down.

Draco was in the bathroom getting ready for his first day at school and Narcissa was, as she called it, putting her face on, so it was Lucius who came to her in her time of need.

"Ella? Shouldn't you be dressed by now?" he asked gently not wanting her to think he was telling her off.

"I'm sowwy Granddad, but I wanted to look nice so that Daddy would want to take me out in public. I don't wanna let him down or make the family look bad or nuffing," she said staring down at her fluffy-pink slipper clad feet.

"Oh, you silly thing you," Lucius said chuckling lightly and kneeling down next to her. "We couldn't care less if you went up there bare bummed and jumping all over the place," he said smiling at her and giving her a little tickle. "Your a member of this family for life now. Once a Malfoy, always a Malfoy. And besides we love you just as you are. If the other people in this school don't then it is their loss. So you wear what you're comfortable wearing, OK?"

"OK Granddad, fank you," she said giving him a cuddle before turning back to the wardrobe and picking out her favourite outfit that Draco had gotten for her when he went shopping for his school supplies. A pair of jeans with butterflies and flowers sewn on here and there a pink T-shirt that said Flower Girl on the front with a little red button-up cardigan over the top. On her feet she wore little white socks and a pair of white buckled shoes. "How do I look?" she said giggling as she twirled around in front of Lucius.

"Like the lovely little girl you are," he said sincerely. "You don't you come with me and we'll see if Nanna can do something with your hair, hey?" while he said this he ruffled it a bit to make his point.

Giggling again Elloisa replied "OK Granddad." before running out of her room and knocking softly on her Grandparents door. When the voice inside called out for her to come in, she pushed the door open and stepped into their room.

This room was done almost the same as Draco's although it was a lot grander and done on a bigger scale, and instead of the dark wood and the dark green, they had lighter wood and silver accents dotted around the place. "Ella, darling. What can I do for you?" Narcissa asked coming through the door that led to their en-suit.

Lucius had caught up by this time, and he responded from the doorway. "We were hoping that you might be able to do something nice with young Missy's hair." he said, smirking when the light in Narcissa eyes burned with happiness. This was something she had always wanted to do, had she been able to have another child that was.

"Of course I can honey, come and park yourself on here," she said patting the stool in front of her own dressing table. Once Ella was settled Narcissa started by brushing it through with a comb charmed to untangle even the nastiest of knots without causing any pain, then she started pulling it up into a high ponytail near the crown of her head. She then secured it off with a hair bobble and tied a piece of pretty pink ribbon in to hide the bobble. Finally she got out some fairy clips and placed then in her hair just behind her ears. "There all done." she said helping her to jump off the stool.

"Well Granddad? What do you think now?" she said once again twirling around in a circle.

"You look lovely," he said with a grin that lit up his face, a smile he kept in reserve just for his little granddaughter only.

"You sure do Ella," came a voice from the doorway and all three Malfoys turned slightly to see Draco entering the room. "But unless we get moving soon we'll be late for breakfast and you must be starving."

"OK I'm weady." she said rushing over to Draco and grabbing his hand. She had no intentions of leaving him until he had to go to classes."Can I stay with you at your table for bweakfast, Daddy?"

"Of course you can, come on." That said the four Malfoys made their way up the Great Hall and stopped just outside of the door.

"Ready?" Lucius asked Draco.

"As I'll ever be I guess." he replied smiling slightly when Ella slipped her hand into his and held on tightly.

As a family they walked into the Great Hall and stopped when everyone in there suddenly became very quiet. People were straining to see the little girl that was clinging desperately to Draco's hand and some even had the audacity to stand up to try and see her. Ella herself was now trying, it seemed, to climb into Draco's robe with him to he bent slightly and picked her up, cradling her head against the crook of his neck so that she couldn't see the other students in the hall. "Deep breaths," he whispered gently in her ear. "It's only because you look so sweet in your little outfit that they are staring."

Draco gave his parents a small nod and made his way over to the Slytherin table before taking his usual seat between Blaise and Pansy. He settled Ella on his lap and lent down slightly to ask her what she wanted for breakfast.

"Can I have some of those waffles, please?" she asked and as soon as the words had left her mouth, everyone who had heard her started scrabbling around to place the waffles in front of her along with anything that even remotely went with them, as well as an assortment of drinks. Ella just stared at everyone in complete amazement, while Draco was struggling to not laugh out loud at the antics of his housemates. Less than ten words and she was already in command of the Serpents from Slytherin.

Up at the head table, the elder Malfoy's were also struggling in rein in their laughter as they watched the Slytherin Seventh Years as a whole placed more than Elloisa could have eaten in a lifetime at Hogwarts in front of her plate.

Professor Dumbledore had also watched this from the head table and yet again his eyes were going full sparkle. He usually left after breakfast before anyone else because he was usually the first one there in the morning and today was no exception, except instead of walking out of the side door to leave the hall he walked around the head table and the row between the Slytherin and Ravenclaw house tables before coming to a stop in front of Elloisa and Draco.

"Good morning Elloisa," he said cheerfully as she looked up from her plate.

Elloisa swallowed her mouthful before smiling at him, "Good mowning Pwofessow Dumbledowe."

"I thought I told you last night that you may call me Albus," he replied smiling back at her. "Did you sleep well?" he inquired genuinely. He hoped that he'd gotten the room right for her.

"Oh, yes! Thank you for my woom. It was amazing! I love it!" she said giggling happily.

"Oh I am glad that you do. And what about you Draco? Was your room ok?"

"Yes, thank you headmaster. It was wonderful."

"Good, good!" Dumbledore exclaimed happily. "Well, good luck in your classes Draco and have fun in the castle Elloisa." he said, before turning away and whistling a tune only he knew under his breath, while he exited the Great Hall.

Shortly afterward breakfast was over and Draco's parents came down to collect Elloisa and bid Draco good luck for his first day back since the final battle. Draco watched with a silly grin as Ella skipped and talked excitedly to his parents as they made their way out of the hall and headed towards their rooms.

Turning back to the room Draco caught the eyes of Harry Potter staring at him and Draco realised he still had the silly grin on his face. Blushing ever so slightly he dropped his head and pretended to be looking for something in his bag until the blush had vanished. Then he swung he bad over his shoulder and left the hall with his friends as they made their way to their first lesson of the day.

*-*-*

The day went relatively smoothly and he only heard a couple of people whispering behind his back. After the last class of the day, double Potions with the Gryffindors, Draco saw his opportunity to speak to Potter about his idea.

He walked confidently with his head held high as he neared on the boy, and called out, "Potter. Mind if I have a word with you?" The other students in the corridor were all staring openly at Draco as he approached Potter and looked back over his shoulder to catch some Slytherin's edging a little closer so they'd be able to hear. "_Alone_."

"Sure Malfoy, in here?" Harry asked smiling slightly at the other students antics.

Draco walked to the door of the empty classroom Potter had indicated to and pushed it open before walking haughtily into the room. He turned and propped himself on the edge of the desk as he waited for Potter to close the door and get comfortable against another table opposite him.

"No Mudblood or Weasel with you today, Potter?" Draco asked, sneering as he said their names.

"Can the crap, Malfoy. You wanted to talk, so talk because you've got thirty seconds to get me interested before I walk back out that door. I will not let you insult my friends!" Harry said forcefully. Had he know Malfoy was going to straight out insult his two best friends in the world he wouldn't have even stopped walking when Malfoy called his name.

"No! That was uncalled for it's just... a habit, you know?" Draco said in a rush holding his hands up in surrender.

"You are eating into your explaining time, so I'd just get on with it if I were you." Harry replied with a snap. He knew he was being unfair but the insult about Hermione and Ron had really gotten to him. He had hoped that Malfoy had changed, what with the war and him being a dad now, but obviously he was wrong.

"Right well, to put it really simply I want to open a hostel sort of thing, but only for werewolf children." Draco said quickly, not knowing if Potter was actually counting down the seconds he had to explain.

Harry's jaw almost hit the floor. Malfoy wanted to open a hostel for werewolf children? Whatever Harry had been expecting the young blond to say, that was probably the last thing he would have ever thought of."O...K." he said drawing it out because he wasn't really sure what to say. "You've got my attention now, I suppose. Go on then tell me more."

"Alright, well, you see... I suppose it would be easiest if I were to start at the beginning, so here goes," Draco said eventually. He had so many thoughts running round his head that he took a deep breath before he started. "As you know I've got a daughter now, Elloisa. I first met her in Saint Mungo's. One day I heard this man from the Ministry having a shouting match with the head nurse there. He was going on about one of the patients in the ward being too dangerous to be allowed to stay. That no one would want her because she was a monster, a creature that didn't deserve to live. A werewolf. He wanted to take her to the Ministry to be killed. Said that cause no one would want her she would end up on the streets and begin attacking innocent people. The girl he was talking about was Elloisa. I couldn't let that happen, so I got to know her and then at Christmas I asked her if she would want to be adopted by me. She said yes and signed the forms that very day. Effectively I saved her life. But now I want to do more than save just hers. She is only five and the Ministry wouldn't have cared less. According to the nurse in the hospital nine out of ten werewolf children that are admitted to hospital after being bitten are never claimed and never adopted so the ministry come in a destroy them.

Also, Professor Dumbledore asked me the other day what I was going to do about Ella's, that's what I call her, Ella, anyway, he asked me what I was going to do about her education. As far as I am aware this is the only school in Europe that allows werewolves to be students and Ella is far to young to even be considered. No tutors would willing teach a werewolf child and I don't know anyone with the time to be able to do it, so really what I'm saying is that until she's eleven she's got no hope of being properly educated." Draco took a long breath here. He was getting quite emotional now that the whole horrible truth was out and when he was emotional he talked uncontrollably.

Harry could see that Draco was upset from talking about what the man from the Ministry had said, so he gave him a moment to breath before he spoke, "and that's when you came up with the idea of the hostel?" he said, encouraging Draco to pick up where he'd left off.

"Yes. I was lying awake after talking with the headmaster wondering what I could do for Ella. I want her to have as much of a chance at life as possible but unless something changes that won't happen. So I thought about it long and hard and came up with the idea of the hostel. I was thinking about taking one of the many Malfoy estates, one we don't use so my father won't miss it, and turn it into a boarding school for all werewolf children. I bet there are loads of werewolves out there like Professor Lupin who have the ability and the qualifications to teach, but not the opportunity. And nurses to help look after them. And they more we can take in the less the Ministry can get their grubby hands on." Again Draco stopped to take a breath and looked at Harry before asking, "Well, what do you think?"

Harry was grinning like mad and he almost exploded when he started talking. "I think it is the most amazing idea I have ever heard. It's brilliant! I wonder why no one ever thought to do it before? But who cares we can do it now! Yes, yes, absolutely fantastic idea, Malfoy." he said excitedly walking forward and slapping Draco across the back for a good well done. Then he stopped and looked Draco dead in the face. "So why are you talking to me about it? What do you want from me that you can't get from anyone else?"

Draco smiled slightly, he had wondered when the penny would drop. "Well, to get a project of this size off the ground we are going to need to have a large amount of people backing it before the Ministry will even look at the plan. And unless the Ministry approve the location they won't allow us to do it. Also, my family name isn't exactly sparkling in the eyes of... well, anyone, but if the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Defeat-Lord-Voldemort was to be backing me then I could get it off the ground and running a hell of a lot sooner than trying to do it alone."

"So you want my name... backing you... so you can build a safe haven for werewolf children? Well let me think about that one for a moment... Of course I'll do it! You just tell what I've got to do and I'm there!" Harry said enthusiastically, grinning ear to ear.

"Thanks Pot... Harry. This means so much to me. It's like, yesterday it was an idea, but now its a real plan. Oh, and thank you for my Christmas presents. They were incredible, especially the chocolates." Draco said laughing happily.

"Oh I quite agree, exquisite quality do you think." Harry replied barely daring to think that he was in an empty class room with Draco Malfoy, his arch-nemesis, and laughing together over chocolates.

"But seriously, thank you. You gave me and my family a whole new lease of life, and we will forever be grateful to you."

"It was the least I could do. After all, you gave me a fighting chance with old Moldy Voldy, so without your intervention I probably wouldn't have any sort of life to speak of at all. So I also so thank you."

They smiled slightly at each other, the tension in the room now quite heavy thanks to the sobering thoughts going through both of their heads. That was, until the door flew open and Ella came bounding in. "There you is, Daddy. I've been looking for you. You'll never guess what, but Nanna took me down to see a man called Hagwid, and he has this massive doggie called Fang, and he told me all about unicowns. Did you know that der was unicowns in the fowest, Daddy?"

"Hello Ella. Did you really? Are there? And I know now. Does that answer your questions?" Draco said smiling fondly down at the bouncing head of his excited five year old.

"You're funny, Daddy," she replied giggling cheerily.

"Ella, I'd like to introduce you to someone." he said pointing over the top of her head. She turned around and looked at the man in front of her. He was about the same height as Draco, maybe a little shorter, and had short messy black hair, that stood out in all directions. He was wearing glasses and was smiling down at her in a kind way. Ella decided almost at once that she liked the look of him.

"Harry this is Elloisa Malfoy, my daughter. Ella this is Harry Potter my... um... friend," he finished looking to Harry and hoping that he wouldn't say other wise in front of Ella, otherwise it would be rather awkward to explain.

Harry just gave him a small nod of the head and a smile before squatting down on his haunches and holding out his hand to Elloisa. "I am honored to meet you Elloisa, and may I say that outfit looks great on you."

Elloisa blushed slightly at the compliment while Harry heard Draco whisper under his breath something that sounded remarkably like, "suck up". "I am please to met you to Hawwy." She said finally shaking his hand.

"Right then, I have got to go now, but maybe I'll see you at dinner later. Look after you dad won't you, Elloisa." Harry said smiling down at Elloisa.

"Of course I will," she giggled. When he had left the room, Ella turned to Draco. "I really like him, Daddy. You have the nicest friends."

"I like him to, honey." Draco said still staring at the door Harry had just left through with a thoughtful half smile on his lips. Something about Potter had intrigued him, but he couldn't put his finger on what is was exactly. Shaking himself a little, he bent down and held on to Ella's hand. "Shall we go and find your Grandparents?"

"OK Dad." she said pulling out of the room and down the corridor going in the wrong direction. Draco smiled slightly and bent to pick her up.

"I think it would be quicker if we went the right way for a start, don't you?" he said to her as he walked them in the other direction.

Ella just giggled and nodded her head in agreement.


	9. The List

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

**A/N: OK guys here's you next installment of my story. I hope you like it. P.S. This chapter has gone up a little earlier than I wanted it to because I would like to know your thoughts on the question at the bottom. So please be generous and leave me a review with your answer. Thanks in advance MWAH!!!**

**A/N 2: Big hugs all around for those of you who reviewed. **

**Chapter Warnings: Ron ignoring in this chappie.**

**Chapter Nine: The List **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The next day went almost exactly like the first one. Draco got up and sorted Elloisa out, then he himself got dressed and ready to go. Then, as a family, the Malfoy's made their way to breakfast. Here came the first change. Instead of wanting to hide like yesterday, Elloisa took off down the aisle between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables, making a bee line for Harry.

"Mowning, Hawwy!" she said cheerfully to Harry's back.

Turning around Harry spotted the small girl and gave off a huge grin as he pushed his chair back and knelt down in front of her. "Good morning oh pretty one, and how did you sleep last night?" Harry said in a rather exaggerated kind of way, but it made Elloisa blush all the same. Behind Harry he could hear Hermione saying to Ron how cute she was and laughing at Harry's antics.

"Oh, Hawwy. I slept fine thank you. And you? Did you sleep OK?" she said while moving forwards into his open arms for a hug. Draco's jaw almost dropped when he saw this. It had taken her nearly two weeks before she had initiated their first cuddle and along comes Harry Potter and she's hugging him after only a day! Though he did smile when Harry picked her up and swung her around, but only because she was laughing, not because he thought Harry looked great with her on his hip.

"I slept like a log knowing that I'd get to see you this morning, sweet." he said, smiling sweetly at her. Little did Harry know that behind them Hermione was aaahing and Ron was scowling like he'd lost a Quidditch match to the Slytherin's. Harry, blissfully unaware, walked with her back towards Draco who was stood at the very end of the table. His parents had already gone to the head table.

"I think this little monkey belongs to you." Harry said lightly as he handed her over to Draco.

"Yes, I believe she does," he agreed just as lightly.

"Listen Ma... Draco, I was talking to Hermione about what you told me yesterday and she has some really interesting ideas that I think you'd find rather good. I know she's a Muggleborn and all that but..."

But Draco cut him off this time. "Say this evening after dinner in my quarters. That way I can eat in the hall with this little madam and you can come back with us." Draco said calmly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to invite two Gryffindor's to venture down into the snake pit with him.

"Oh... um, yeah. Sounds great. We'll see you then. Bye Elloisa." Harry said smiling again at the now totally confused Elloisa and waving idiotically when he got back to his seat, which made her laugh again.

Draco took them over to the Slytherin table and took his usual seat. "Hey Draco, hey Elloisa. What do you fancy for breakfast today?" Pansy asked in an almost sickly sweat voice.

"Um... please can I have... oh, are those pancakes?" she asked pointing to a plate next to Crabbe's elbow.

"They sure are, how many would you like?" Pansy said snatching the plate away as Crabbe made to pick them up. He scowled at her briefly before he saw them being put on Elloisa's plate and smiled at her before turning to take the ones in between the fifth years sat next to him.

As Elloisa tucked into her breakfast Pansy turned to Draco and asked, "What was all that about with Potter just now?"

"Oh, that. Elloisa is rather fond of him that's all."

"But that's Potter!" she said as if sure Draco was looking at the wrong person or had gone temporarily blind.

"I know, he's great with Elloisa though so leave it." he said giving her his best Malfoy scowl.

After breakfast things went back to normal and after they had all finished their dinner Draco walked over to the doors of the Great Hall and, sure enough, stood just the other side was a happy Harry and an almost bouncing Hermione. Draco was vaguely reminded of what Ella had looked like at Christmas. Wanting to open her presents but knowing she had to wait.

"Hi ya Hawwy." Elloisa said running over to him. Harry scooped her up and gave her a quick hug before putting her back down and introducing her to Hermione. "Elloisa this is Hermione. Hermione this little angel is Elloisa."

"Hullo." Elloisa said smiling slightly up at the girl with nice hair.

Hermione smiled back before saying hello as well.

"Shall we move this down stairs? We've got some not too happy people up here." Draco suggested wearily. Pansy was glaring daggers at him from the Slytherin Table and Weasley was doing to same to Harry and Hermione from the Gryffindor Table.

They all agreed and made their way down to the dungeons. Once at the portrait Draco paused and looked back at Hermione and Harry. They both covered their ears and started singing as loud as they could. Hermione was singing her rendition of The Eye of the Tiger and Harry was singing his version of Super Trooper. It was hilarious to watch and Ella was beside herself, rolling on the floor laughing so hard she had tears streaming down her face.

Draco managed to keep it together long enough to open the portrait by say the password "Adder-nuf" and somehow managed to get them all in before he bent over at the waist holding his ribs and laughing so hard it hurt. Harry and Hermione soon joined in and it wasn't long before they were all on the floor in hysterics. Unbeknownst to them because of the tears in their eyes, Lucius, Narcissa and Severus Snape were all sat in the lounge drinking tea. Lucius stood up and moved over to them, lightly he nudged Draco with his foot and cleared his throat as loudly as he could. "Excuse me!"

At once the four younger people in the room sobered up and wiped at their eyes while they made to stand up. "Much better," Lucius commented. Then he looked at Draco and realised who he had stumbled through the door with. "Mr Potter, Miss Granger. What prey tell are you two doing in our quarters, and rolling around on the floor with my son and granddaughter no less?"

"I invited them, Father. I'm sorry I know I should have asked first." Draco said bowing his head to show that he would take the punishment Lucius would give him.

"There is no need to be sorry, Draco. I was just curious. I haven't seen you laugh like that since you were Ella's age and I have never seen her laughing so hard she's cried." Lucius said, smiling slightly when Draco looked shocked, Elloisa started laughing again and Granger and Potter were stood stock still, too scared, it seemed, to move at all.

"Oh Granddad you should have heard it. We were outside the portrait and Daddy didn't want Herminnone and Hawwy to hear the password so they covered their ears and started singing these songs. And they was so so so funny that we couldn't stop laughing." Elloisa said finally catching a breath long enough to explain.

"Yeah but I have to say that Herm_ninone_ was much louder than me. I could hear her over my own singing, and I sorry darling but you were terribly out of key."

"Hey, Ha_wwy _if you think you were better than me you've got another think coming. You're just tone deaf is all. I had the most perfect pitch."

And that was all it took Draco was roaring with laughter again and Elloisa not quite understanding what was wrong this time just laughed with him anyway, and then when she had started the Gryffindor's joined in as well. Soon the floor of the Malfoy quarters found itself being rolled on by the three young students and Elloisa.

After another ten minutes of laughing Draco, Harry, Hermione and Elloisa managed to stop laughing, stood up and brushed their clothes off. "Come on we can go to my room and talk. You want to come as well, Ella?" Draco said finally.

"Can I stay out here with Granddad for a bit? He said he wants to introduce his bestest friend in whole world ever to me." She said looking over at Granddad who nodded in confirmation.

"Of course it's OK, honey." Draco said giving her a quick hug before leading the Gryffindor's to his room.

Once they were all inside the door (both of them) were soundproofed, and they were all settled comfortably in front of the fire, Draco turned to Hermione. "So Harry said that you've had some ideas about the werewolf shelter. Anything you can do to help would be great Hermione."

Hermione just sat there with her mouth open for a minute before she was able to pull herself together. Harry hadn't been joking when he'd said Draco Malfoy had changed. Not only had he called Harry by his first name but he'd called her by hers as well. Shocking! "Yes," small cough, "Yes I have but before I start please let me tell you that I think the idea on a whole is brilliant," she smiled shyly at him and then continued, "and if there is everything I can do that I'm not doing already just ask me OK?"

Draco nodded his head and sat back as she launched into full lecture mode.

"OK, so Harry told me that you wanted him involved so he could help you drum up support so the Ministry would approve the idea, yes?" she looked expectantly over at Draco and again he nodded in agreement. "Right, well, even with Harry backing you, your going to have to come up with a catch, something that will make people sit up and pay attention when you are talking to them. So I would suggest a presentation be prepared before you even start thinking about get the support you need to get this thing off the ground."

"That sounds like a great idea. But I may need a little help with it. I'm not entirely sure what it would entail." Draco said sitting up and giving Hermione his undivided attention now that he knew her ideas were more than valid to his cause.

"That's fine. It's is something that we can work on together. I would also strongly suggest getting Professor Dumbledore on side as he still has a lot of pull over the Ministry itself. But that shouldn't be a problem as it sounds like something he'd do anyway. And besides once he's on side you can pretty much count on the rest of the staff here coming round to the idea as well."

Draco and Harry were both nodding their heads in agreement.

"By that point we would already have quite a bit of influential support. The only other thing I can say for sure would befit you to do very soon, is tell your mother and father and possibly Professor Snape too. Your mother and father have the means and the experience to get an audience and know how to handle it properly. And Professor Snape's opinion is valued quite highly in certain parts of the Ministry and Saint Mungo's. Oh and Harry told me that there was a nurse at the hospital that fully supports your way of thinking. Perhaps it would prove to be beneficial to get in contact with her. If she is speaking out against the Ministries treatment of children werewolves then the chances are that there are a lot of other nurses and doctors who agree with her. I think that's all the things you should be getting on with for now and I know it's a lot to take in so I've taken the liberty of writing a list of things to do. The lower the number next to the more important it is."

As Hermione said this she pulled a rolled up piece of parchment out of her bag and passed it to Draco before pulling out two more, one each for Harry and herself.

Draco uncurled the parchment and looked it over quickly.

_1. Talk to your parents_

_2. Talk to Professor Dumbledore_

_3. Make public presentation about the Shelter_

_4. Talk to Professor Snape_

_5. Contact the nurse from Saint Mungo's _

Draco skimmed past the rest because he knew that the first five would take some time to do as it was. If he was honest with himself he was a tad disappointed that it was going to take so long to sort everything out. He hadn't realised just how much there would be to do.

"Don't look so disheartened, Draco," Hermione said softly. "If we rush into this and fall flat on our faces we'll never get the support up to try again and I can see how important it is to you. If we take it slow, day by day, we're covering our ourselves and guaranteeing that this plan of your will work. Besides Harry and I are here to help as well, and once the others on the list know they'll help as well. I'm sure of it."

Harry nodded his head in agreement yet again, "this really is far too important to mess up, and before you know it the shelter will be open and ready to go, you'll see."

"Thanks you two, for the support and the list," he said making a puking gesture as he held up the list Hermione had made for him. Hermione looked ready to jump to the list's defense but Harry got there first surprising Hermione into silence.

"Don't knock it, Draco, because when things are starting to get onto of you and your not sure what the hell you're supposed to be doing, I garentee that that list is going to turn out being your best friend. Trust me I know from experience." Harry said looking ondly at the piece of rolled parchment in his hands.

Hermione beamed at Harry before standing up and stretching her legs out. "Right, we had better be off. Don't want to be out after curfew. Good luck with your parents, Draco and sleep well."

"Yeah, night Draco see you in the morning." Harry added as he also got up and he and Hermione left Draco's room and walked back into the sitting area to find the two eldest Malfoy's plus the youngest Malfoy and Professor Snape still there. "Good night Elloisa, I'll see you in the morning at breakfast."

"Oh nun-night Hawwy. Nun-night Herminnone," she said tiredly walking up to Harry and giving him a hug good night.

"Good night Professor Snape, Mr Malfoy, Mrs Malfoy," Harry said lightly giving a slight incline of his head at each person as he said their names.

"Good night Mr Potter, Miss Granger," they all parroted back as the portrait closed behind them.

Draco came out of his room shortly after and looked around the room before seeing Ella yawning like mad. "Come on Missy, it's bed time for you." he said gently. "Why don't you say goodnight to everyone."

"But Daddy, it's only eight o'clock," she said giving Draco her best puppy dog eyes.

"Yes but you've had a couple of late nights already. And besides you've got to get your beauty sleep if you want to be all pretty for Harry tomorrow." he said gently, kneeling down beside her.

"I guess you'we wite," Ella said moving over to the couch her Grandparents were sat on. "Nun-night Granddad, nun-night Nanna." They each gave her a hug before she turned round and walked towards Professor Snape. She climbed up onto his lap quickly and gave him and hug say "nun-night Sev" into his robes. After about a minute she climbed back down and Draco picked her up and carried her to her room.

Draco helped her change into her pajamas before pulling back the white bedding covered duvet, then he picked her back up and placed her gently onto the bed. She curled herself up into her favourite position and Draco carefully tucked the duvet back in around her. "Good night my little princess." he said softly kissing her on the forehead before turning to head back to the lounge.

Elloisa let out a small sigh and whispered, "Nun-night daddy." Before Draco had even closed the door the little five year old was sound asleep.

Draco walked back to the lounge and flumped down into the remaining free armchair. Sighing he closed his eyes and lent his forehead against his fist, his elbow on the armrest.

"So?" Narcissa asked. "Why were they here?"

"We had things to we needed to talk about and people were giving us a hard time in the Great Hall so I suggest we come down here. I'm sorry, but I genuinely didn't think you'd mind or I would have asked first." Draco replied not looking up or even opening his eyes.

"You know that's not what I meant. What were you all talking about? Come on Draco, you shouldn't keep secrets from your own mother." Narcissa all but whined.

"Fine, I was going to tell you tomorrow but I suppose if I tell you know I won't have to worry about Ella overhearing." Draco said lifting his head and opening his eyes.

"Would you like me to leave?" Severus inquired already half out of the chair he'd been sat in.

"No it's fine you all might as well hear about it now and then I haven't got to repeat myself quite so often," Draco half joked, before clearing his throat and sitting up a little straighter in his chair.

Over the next hour and half Draco told his parents and Severus all about his idea of the shelter and how he had gone to Harry Potter who in turn had put his case to Hermione Granger who came back to him with a list of things he needed to seriously consider before he even got to choose the location of the place.

His parents were glowing with pride for the son by the time he'd finished his explanation, and were wondering how Miss Granger knew so much about starting the whole thing, after they had been shown her list. Severus had asked some questions all of which were answered and he left after the hour and a half stating that if there was anything Draco wanted him to do or if he needed an opinion on something to simply let him know. Draco took this to mean Professor Snape approved with the idea.

After Severus had gone, he turned to his parents. "Well? What do you really think? Am I in over my head on this one?"

"Actually son," Lucius said standing up and pulling Draco out of his seat to stand in front of him. "I think it is an amazing idea, and Miss Granger and Mr Potter have pretty much got your back covered for this one. I am very proud to call you my son, Draco, because I am very proud of you." Lucius then shocked Draco and gave him and small and very brief hug before he turned and made for his bedroom.

Narcissa took this as her cue to go to bed and stood up from the couch. She too pulled Draco into a hug, although this one lasted a lot long and was the kind that is described as a rib cracking hug. Draco hugged her back.

"Everything your father said is the same for me. I am so proud of you Draco. You can guarantee your father's and my support in this and as Severus said, anything you need from us, just ask. Good night sweetheart, I'll see you in the morning." that said she too turned and disappeared into her bedroom, and Draco heard the door close softly behind her.

Draco took himself to bed and thought about how wonderful the Shelter would be when it was finished. And it would be finished, if it was the last thing Draco did, the shelter for the werewolf children would be opening.

**A/N: OK guys I need your help for this bit. Is anyone missing Ron? If you are and you'd like to see more of him in this fic you need to leave me a little note about it. If you don't then... well, you can tell me that too (hehe) if no one is missing him I may well bash him a little though. You have been warned to I guess I should say: START VOTING – KEEP RON IN or KICK RON OUT you decide.**


	10. The First Transformation

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

**A/N: Hi all! Thanks for voting! Keep it coming though :-) So far we have KICKING RON OUT on 8 and KEEPING RON IN on 0 lol. And may I just say... MORE THAN 20 REVIEWS OH YEAH!!! FIRST FIC HITTING THE BIG TIME!!! Wow. Glad I got that out of my system!**

**A/N 2: Thank you, thank you, oh great and powerful reviewers (bows down at computer screen), and I hope this answers some of your questions:**

**yAoI-tEnShI1412: Remus is coming now, just hope I did him justice. As I am sure everyone has worked out being a werewolf makes you a major character in this fic and he just so happens to be one ;-) so yeah... soon. **

**HopeInHell: Other pairings are Narcissa Severus Hermione Remus&Zoe.** **All these pairings are minor to **_**very**_** minor and may only ever be mentioned in passing especially Remus&Zoe (you'll find out who she is later hehe). Also Severus and Hermione have question marks because I haven't decided if I want them together or not. Either way they will both be with someone at the end of the fic.**

**Chapter Warnings: None that I can think of**

**Chapter Ten: The First Transformation**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Draco was really nervous as he walked to breakfast that morning. Ella would be transforming tonight, and he could see how scared she was. He wanted to reach out to her and calm her nerves but he didn't have a clue what to say. There was no way he could know what she was going through and no way he could tell what would happen because he genuinely didn't know.

As they reached the Great Hall, Harry and Hermione were stood off to one side looking at them. Well, more specifically smiling down at Ella. Elloisa hadn't seen them though, as she was looking at the floor and trying not to show how scared she was about tonight. It wasn't until Draco came to a stop in front of the two Gryffindors that she looked up, and when she saw who was there she smiled slightly back at them before dropping her head back down.

Harry, once again lowering himself to her level, spoke to Elloisa in a soft, calming voice, while gently tilting her head back. "Elloisa, what is the matter? You look so sad. You just tell me and I will do what ever I can to make it better." Harry knew, thanks to Hermione, that tonight was the full moon and so he knew what was wrong with the young child, but he wouldn't say anything to her about it until she started it, purely because he wasn't sure how she's cope with him knowing.

"How can you want to be my friend anymore?" she asked in a whisper so quiet that Harry was straining to hear her. "How can you even look at me know what I am?"

"All I see when I look at you is a pretty little girl, in pretty clothes, with pretty hair and a very cute smile. If anyone can see anything else... well, they need to get their eyes tested. I had my eyes tested, they gave me glasses and now I can see everything much better." Harry responded smiling down at her when she blushed at the compliments.

"But Hawwy, I'm a... a... a werewolf." she struggled out after her blush had died down a little. "I'm a monster dat no one will ever want. Dat's what de man at de hospital said." Elloisa looked like she was going to start crying and Harry responded in the only way he knew how. He picked her up and snuggled her close to his chest while he whispered in her ear.

"You may be a werewolf, but you are _no_ monster. How anyone could _ever_ believe someone as lovely as you could be any sort of monster is beyond me. And that man at the hospital was wrong! A lot of people want you. _I _want you, and Hermione, and what about Draco and his parents, hey? Do you really think they would have adopted you if they didn't want you?" Harry said tenderly while he rubbed small comforting circles on her back.

He looked over at Draco and saw that he looked like he wanted to grab her and hide her from the world so that no one could ever hurt her ever again. In fact, Harry was sure if it wasn't for his parents being there, that was exactly what he would have done.

"You'we wight Hawwy. I'm sowwy. But I'm weally newvous about tonight." Elloisa said while snuggling even further into Harry.

"Yeah, about that," Harry said smiling again. "I hope you don't mind, but I wrote to Remus Lupin the other day and asked him if he could come to the school and just be there with you when you transform. You see, he's a werewolf too, but he's been one since before you were born, so he knows what its like. He said that he would be honored to if it was ok with you and your dad. So what do you think?"

Elloisa looked round at Draco. She didn't know who Remus Lupin was but she had never met another werewolf and thought the idea sounded awesome, but she wanted to check it was ok with her dad before she answered Harry.

Draco looked a little relieved if nothing else. His biggest worry about Ella transforming was that she would be on her own and wouldn't be able to handle all of the changes she would be going through. He looked over at Ella to see what she thought of the idea and although she tried to hide how excited she was at the prospect, Draco could see Harry's idea had won her over.

"It's fine by me, if that's what you want Ella." Draco said softly walking over to where she was still nestled in Harry Potter's arms.

"I would like it very much. Thank you Hawwy!" she said happily, hugging Harry tightly round his neck before leaning over with her arms out as an indication she wanted Draco to take her now.

"Yes, thanks Harry. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were a mind reader." Draco said smiling warmly at him as he took Ella under her arms and lifted her over onto his own hip.

Ella hugged him as well before being put down and racing into the Great Hall giggling away like a she hadn't a care in the world.

Everyone left in the hallway smiled ever so slightly at the retreating back of little Elloisa. Narcissa and Lucius made for the head table for breakfast, Draco headed off over to the Slytherin table where his chatting five year old was already being served her breakfast, while Harry and Hermione made there way to the owlery to write to Remus before classes started.

After Draco had finally finished all of classes for the day, he raced through the school as fast as he could without running (Malfoy's never run anywhere), he made it slightly out of breath to the Headmasters office. Professor Snape had been kind enough to drop a hint to the old man about Draco wanting to speak with him, and as a result had received a note during his transfiguration class telling him to 'come on up for some tea after classes the password is _Toblerone'._

So after giving the gargoyle the, in Draco's opinion, ridiculous password he climbed onto the spiraling staircase and upon reaching the top knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in Draco," came Professor Dumbledore's cheery call, and Draco stepped into the room with a slightly apprehensive air about him. "Good afternoon, Draco. Professor Snape mentioned that you had something you wished to speak with me about," he said kindly, the twinkling in his eyes irritating Draco slightly as he took the chair indicated.

"Yes sir," Draco replied, "it's about what you said to me before school started again. About Elloisa's education."

"Ah, yes. I take that to mean you come up with a suitable solution then?" he asked looking over the rims of his half-moon specs.

"Yes sir. I thought that since no one I know has the time to teach her, and no teacher would ever go near her because of her being a werewolf, that I would open my own school. Sort of like this one, but purely for homeless, parent-less werewolf children. After taking Elloisa on I've been thinking about how wrong peoples attitudes towards them are and... well, I'd like to start trying to change that." Draco replied, shifting slightly and rubbing his sweaty hands on his trousers.

"I think that's a marvelous idea Draco, but it would require a lot of planning. Besides if these children are parent-less and homeless, who is to pay for their education?" Dumbledore asked leaning forward in his chair. He had no doubts in his mind about the idea being a very good one, but he was curious to see just how well the young Malfoy had thought about this.

"I would be funding it sir. That is to say, my father would be funding it. And the you really don't have to worry about the planning of the whole thing as Harry Potter and Hermione Granger and both in on the idea and needless to say that Hermione has thought of everything. In actual fact it was her idea that I talk to you, sir." Draco said, a small smile tugging at his lips as he thought of the irony. For years he had mocked the bushy-haired Gryffindor about her brains and now she was the one he was relying on the most to help him with this project.

"Ah I see," Albus said, leaning back in his chair and steeping his fingers together. "And why do you need to speak to me?" he asked smiling lightly at the use of Miss Granger's first name from her long time enemy.

"Well sir, Hermione said that with you backing the idea people would be more inclined to back it aswell, and to get the Ministry to even think about approving the Shelter, we would need a lot of support from the general public. As I've already said people's general ideas about werewolves leave a lot to be desired so we have a better chance of hell freezing over than we do of getting the support we need for a project on this scale." Draco explained calmly, although inside he was on his knees begging the Headmaster to approve the idea and help him.

"I which case," Albus said, once again leaning forward in his chair, "I would love to be a part of this project," he said smiling as he watched the words registering with the blonde in front of him. He could see that Draco was cheering inside. "However, I think it would be best to call a meeting with everyone that you have involved so far, so that we can discuss the plans and ensure that we are truly everything in our power to make this plan work."

"Of course sir. I'll arrange it for, um... when would be best for you sir?" Draco asked. He wanted to jump out of his chair and go running to his rooms to tell his parents of his success, but he made himself sit perfectly still, and tried to concentrate on what the old man behind the desk was saying.

"I do believe that Mr. Lupin has arrived at the school and I think it would be a wise move on our part to include him in this plan. So why don't we have the meeting tomorrow."

"You're so sure he'll stay sir. I haven't exactly been the nicest person to him, so why should he help us? Not that I disagree with you sir, another werewolf on board, and one with experience, would be very beneficial to the project, but..."

"Draco, Draco, you are forgetting a few important things. Remus Lupin was raised by parents who didn't know how to care for him after he was bitten, so to see someone such as yourself caring for a young werewolf child, and doing such an amazing job of it I might add, will show him that you truly do care. On top of that, Harry is involved. Straight away that will win you points with him. And finally, he knows what you did for Harry, his cub, during the battle, so you will most likely find that you have already been forgiven in his eyes." Dumbledore said kindly. "Now run along and tell everyone about the meeting tomorrow, we'll have it at ten in the morning so Elloisa will still be sleeping, in Professor Snape's class room as it is closest to your rooms and probably has more wards on it that any other part of this castle," he said merrily, leaning forward and whispering he continued, "the man is a little bit paranoid, even after the war," he joked smiling at Draco. He leaned back in his chair and steeped his fingers and Draco got up to leave.

Before he got to the door though, he turned back and said, "thank you Headmaster. For everything," and then he was gone. Albus Dumbledore stood and walked over to Fawkes perch and stroked his loyal birds feathers softly. "I told you he do amazing things. Do you believe me now?" Fawkes just turned his head and stuck his beak out in indignation. Albus just laughed before returning to his desk, and his mountain of paperwork.

Draco made it back to the portrait entrance of his families quarters after a quick dinner, when Harry, Hermione, Remus Lupin and Professor Snape all rounded the corner leading up from the potions classrooms. He said the password quietly to allowed the portrait to open, but stood waiting for them at arrive.

"Good evening Mr. Malfoy," Snape said evenly. "I've bought your daughters potion. Lupin has already taken his." he said very matter-of-factly.

Draco just gaped at him before turning to face Harry. "How long have you been planning this exactly?"

Harry laughed slightly before responding, "I didn't think it a good idea to have the school on full Remus alert just because Professor Snape didn't know he would be here."

It was Draco's turn to laugh, "Guess you do have a brain after all Pot-head!" he said in jest. "I suppose you had all better come in then." That said Draco walked into the families rooms, followed by a rather unusual assortment of people.

Draco then walked towards the corridor leading to the bedrooms and disappeared into one of them, before returning with a once again nervous looking Elloisa in his arms. "Ella this is Remus Lupin. Remus Lupin, my daughter Elloisa. She a bit nervous as it's her first transformation."

Remus stepped forward a little and spoke softly to the little girl his cub seemed so fond of in his letters. "Hi Elloisa, there's nothing to be nervous about you know, and after the first time you won't be nervous at all. It is just a little shock to the system at first, but you get used to it."

Elloisa was looking at him like he had something large and unpleasant stuck to his head. "Is it painful?" she asked in a voice so quiet only Remus actually heard her.

"I won't lie to you, it does at once you change back, but Professor Snape is always nearby with his trusted potions, and they always make me feel better... even if they do taste rather awful." he replied with a smile.

Elloisa was giggling at the look on Snape's face when she looked up at Remus again. "And you pwomise you won't leave me?"

"I cross my heart," he answered honestly, drawing a cross shape over his chest where his heart was.

"OK then. Hawwy says I can twust you, so I twust you," a smiling face shined up at him as she said that, and Remus knew right then why Harry loved this little girl. He could feel his own heart melting and shifting around to make a large space for this kid werewolf.

Severus stepped forwards and handed the goblet of Wolfsbane over to Ella. "You need to drink this now, Elloisa. It will make sure you stay safe while your a werewolf."

She eyed it slightly before taking the goblet in one hand and holding her nose with the other, before drinking the entire contents in three large gulps. "De nuwse at de hospital said if I hold my nose I won't be able to taste de potion, but she lied! It still tastes _howwible_!"

Remus laughed and took the now empty goblet from her and handed back to Snape. "I thought that the first time I drink it, but it really does help, so I just have to put up with it," he said kindly, winking at Elloisa. She giggled again before looking back at her Daddy when he started talking.

"I went to speak with Professor Dumbledore today after classes," he said calmly. "He has agreed to back the idea and has suggested that we hold a meeting for all of us involved in Professor Snape's classroom. It is at ten in the morning so this little one," he said lifting Ella a little high on his hip, "will still be sleeping." Everyone present except Ella and Remus nodded there head at this and emitted various noises in agreement. "He also suggested that while you're here Professor Lupin, that I ask you to come to the meeting to, as the project we'll be talking about is right up your alley. If you do want to come, just meet us there after you've had some sleep in the hospital wing."

"I must admit I'm intrigued now, so yes I'll be there at ten in the potions classroom. Now it really is time that we made a move downstairs little lady," he said while looking at the clock for confirmation.

Ella hugged her dad tightly before sliding out of his arms and made her way around the room, hugging her grandparents, then Harry, Hermione and Professor Snape, and finally hugging her dad one more time before walking over to Remus. She waved at everyone and then, with her head held high, walked out of the room with the older werewolf. At the door Remus turned back and said, "Don't worry, I promise I will take good care of her," before bidding them goodnight and leaving the room.

On the other side of the door Ella stood waiting for him. She wasn't holding her head high anymore. She was scared. Remus offered her his hand, which she gratefully grasped, holding on as if her life depended on it, and allowed him to lead her towards the special room the headmaster had made up for them.

Just before they turned the corner she took one last longing look at the door to her families quarters. "Please don't hate me," she whispered into the empty corridor, before hanging her head and allowing one small tear to slide down her flushed cheek and hit the cold stone floor. She took a deep breath and continued on around the corner, away from the family and friends she'd always dreamed of having.

**A/N: OK guys I thought I should warn you that I'm not going to be writing about the transformation because I would never be able to do it justice. So the next chapter will be the morning after the transformation and I'll give some details then. Hope that's ok for you all. Until next time.... Please Review!!! lol**


	11. The Morning After

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

**A/N: Howdie Doodie Folks. So so so so so so so so so so so sorry for taking 2 whole years to get out another chapter but real life must take president over the fictional one I'm afraid.**

**A/N 2: Thank you to all those that put reviews up for this story. It's those reviews that have inspired me enough to continue writing it now. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter and that the wait for it hasn't been enough to put you off reading it **

**A/N 3: The voting about keeping Ron in or kicking him out has gone well and I'm pleased to say that he has in fact been booted. He may make a few snarky comments here and there but never any major lines or scenes. Thanks to all that voted.**

**Chapter Warnings: Beware the sugariness of this chapter even my teeth fell out when I wrote it.**

**Chapter Eleven: The Morning After**

**Enjoy!**

The morning after the first transformation was slow in its approach for all the people who knew about Elloisa's condition, and as soon as dawn broke the Malfoy's, Harry, Hermione, Professor Snape and the Headmaster all rushed to the allocated room in which the two werewolves transformed. After catching their breath and allowing their hearts to calm slightly they quietly opened the door to reveal the two occupants of the room. Remus Lupin was asleep under a quilted blanket in the middle of the room with his back to them all.

"Where's Ella?" Narcissa whispered, the slight hitch in her voice conveying her worry to the others.

However Narcissa wasn't quiet enough and a groggy Remus rolled over to peer at them through exhausted eyes. "Is it morning already?" he asked in a daze.

"Remus, where's Elloisa?" Hermione asked softly.

"She's right here," Remus said, pointing towards the floor in front of his lap. The anxious group edged further into the room and collectively sighed when they saw the mini-werewolf curled up in another bundle of blankets sleeping gently and sucking her thumb.

"She's OK? Please tell me everything went OK." Draco pleaded with Lupin.

"Yes Draco, she's fine. Last night couldn't have gone better, really. She's going to be tired for a while longer though. As it was her first transformation her body went through a lot more stress and pain than is she'd transformed before. It's a good thing in this respect that she won't remember the pain of it although she will still be feeling the effects for a few days."

Draco walked towards the pair a carefully picked his daughter up cradling her against his chest before speaking to the adult werewolf. "Thank you for being here with her. I can only imagine how much harder this would have been if you hadn't helped the way you did."

"Don't mention it, Draco. For Elloisa it was my pleasure to be able to help at all." Remus replied smiling warmly up at him.

Draco returned the smile briefly before walking back out of the door the group had entered and gingerly so as to not wake his child, made his way back to the Malfoy family suit. Once there he laid her down on her bed and gently tucked her in before turning and leaving the room. Harry at some point during all of this had made his own entrance to the suit and stood quietly by Ella's bedroom door. He offered Draco a warm smile and a thumbs up about the transformation going well, but instead of the gestures cheering Draco up, the opposite occurred. Draco's face physically crumpled and he fell forward as his legs gave out from under him.

With his well honed Seeker skills, Harry reacted quickly and caught Draco before the blonde boy hit the floor, and then gently manoeuvred him through Draco's bedroom door before kicking it shut to keep out any prying eyes and setting Draco down softly onto the sofa.

After sitting down himself, Harry pulled the distraught boy against his chest and held him in a gently embrace, while Draco rested his head on Harry's shoulder and allowed the tears of frustration and anger her felt about Ella's situation to finally flow freely.

After about half an hour Draco's tears had finally dried up and he only occasionally let out a small sob and that was when Harry pulled back to look Draco in the face and ask him what was wrong.

"I am" sob "happy that she's o-o" sob "ok, but it's just not fair. She is one of the best things" sob "that has ever happened to me and I" sob "can't help her." Draco replied slowly. "She's so small and innocent and this disease" sob "is going to ruin what could have been a great life for her." Sob.

"But Draco," Harry said soothingly, "it hasn't ruin her life. It might have if she wasn't as strong as she is, or if she hadn't been a lucky little girl and found such a great family to love and care for her. And as to having a life, she will. After all that is when we're all working towards, isn't it? Not only will she have a life, but the lives of other werewolves will be better in the future than they would have ever been and that is because one small but strong little girl put her faith in the one person I know who has the heart and the determination to do something about it. Oh by the way, that persons name is Draco Malfoy. You!"

Draco bowed his head with shame after realising just how truthful those words were. How could he honestly sit here and cry over the very thing he was trying to change. How could he allow Ella to have so much faith in him when he had so little faith in himself.

"You're right Harry. Thank you for making me see sense." Draco said looking back up and meeting the bright green eyes of the Boy-Who-Lived. Bright green eyes that were looking at him with confidence and a strength Draco didn't know the young man could posses. Green eyes that Draco felt he was falling into.

The two boys faces were getting closer but Draco, in his examination of Harry's eyes didn't notice, and Harry in his examination of Draco's stormy grey eyes didn't notice either. That was until their lips meet in a soft kiss. Harry gasped and Draco groaned and as one their eyes drooped to a close and their second kiss quickly became one of passion and need and desperation.

The build up to this moment had been immense and both boys lost themselves in the intensity of it, that was until a tentative knock came from the bedroom door.

Pulling away from Harry and feeling a little irked at the person who dared intrude on this moment, Draco growled out and sharp 'Enter!'.

"Daddy?" Elloisa said very quietly after poking her head round the door but not meeting Draco gaze.

Draco now felt like a prized idiot for speaking like that to Ella but ploughed on and pulled and warm smile onto his face. "Hey, Princess. How are you feeling?"

"I-I-I'm still you're pwincess?" Ella asked still looking at the floor but now stood just inside the doorway.

"Of course you are, Baby. I told you nothing would ever change that and I meant it." Draco said in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. Harry nudged him softly in the ribs to gain the blondes attention before jutting his chin out in the direction of Ella and mouthed the words 'reassurance' and 'monster' to him before rising out of his seat and leaving the room.

Draco pondered Harry's words for a moment before it clicked. Ella thought she really was a monster now that she had finally transformed into a werewolf and had slipped back into thinking that no one could possibly want her because of it.

Getting calmly to his feet and walking swiftly across the room, he dropped to his knees in front of the tiny five-year-old and lifted her chin so the girl would have no choice but to meet his eyes. "You are my little girl, Ella. And I love every single part of you because of that. I hate that you will have to go through what you went through last night again, but I swear to you Princess, that I am never going to stop loving you because of it." Draco said passionately looking Ella dead in the eyes, in the hopes that she would see the truth of his words.

A tidal wave of emotions seemed to girl through the girls eyes. Sadness, depression, anger, hurt, pain, disbelief, hope, trust and finally love. Squealing excitedly she launched herself into her daddy's arms and held onto him tight, like she never wanted to let go. Draco hugged his Princess back just as firmly, praying silently to himself that everything would go alright in the future and that this little girl would finally realise and understand just how loved and wanted she was to him, his family and all their friends.

From the doorway, Lucius, Narcissa, Hermione, Severus, Albus, Remus and of course Harry all stop watching the scene as it played out. Draco's parents beamed with pride over Draco's words, Hermione looked like she was going to cry, Severus looked on with determination in his eyes, Remus looked almost longingly at the evident look this parent had for his werewolf child and Albus sparkled as per usual.

Harry surveyed the group and then looked past them all to the adult and child on the floor by the door of Draco's room and smiled softly to himself.

As long as they all stuck together everything was going to turn out fine, of this Harry was absolutely sure.


End file.
